The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, for failing to react to the successful rescue of the pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing his silence as surprising after weeks of vocal criticism of the Federal Government over the incident.
Onanuga expressed disappointment that nearly 18 hours after the victims regained their freedom, Atiku had yet to publicly acknowledge the development or congratulate the Federal Government, security agencies, and the families of those rescued.
The presidential spokesman made his position known in a post published on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, where he contrasted Atiku’s silence with his repeated public statements while the victims remained in captivity.
According to Onanuga, the former vice president had consistently used the kidnapping to criticise the administration of President Bola Tinubu but had failed to show the same level of interest following the successful rescue of the hostages.
“Almost 18 hours after the Oriire pupils and their teachers regained their freedom, Atiku Abubakar has not deemed it fit to rejoice with the Tinubu Federal Government, the security agencies and the traumatised victims,” Onanuga wrote.
The presidential aide further alleged that Atiku had repeatedly turned the unfortunate incident into a political issue since the abduction occurred 57 days earlier, accusing him of exploiting the tragedy to score political points against the current administration.
According to Onanuga, the former vice president had “weaponised the kidnap as a campaign issue several times” throughout the period the victims were held captive by their abductors.
He questioned why Atiku had remained silent after the successful conclusion of the rescue operation despite his earlier frequent interventions on the matter.
“Maybe the veteran presidential runner is waiting for some bad news to attack the Tinubu administration,” Onanuga added, suggesting that the opposition figure appeared more interested in criticising the government than acknowledging positive developments.
While criticising Atiku, Onanuga commended the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, for issuing a statement after news of the victims’ rescue broke.
Although Obi did not directly commend President Tinubu or the Federal Government, Onanuga noted that the former Anambra State governor nevertheless welcomed the development and called for thanksgiving over the safe return of the victims.
The rescue brought an end to a traumatic ordeal that began on May 15, 2026, when heavily armed gunmen launched coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The attackers simultaneously invaded Community Grammar School in Ahoro-Esiele and Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, forcefully abducting dozens of pupils and members of staff before fleeing into nearby forests.
In total, 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a school principal, were kidnapped during the attacks, sending shockwaves across the country and triggering widespread condemnation.
The incident quickly became one of Nigeria’s most high-profile school abductions, attracting national and international attention.
The tragedy worsened after one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly killed while in captivity, prompting nationwide outrage and increasing pressure on both the Federal and Oyo State governments to intensify rescue efforts.
The abduction also sparked protests by members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), civil society organisations, and concerned Nigerians who demanded urgent action to secure the release of the victims.
Throughout the period of captivity, Atiku repeatedly criticised the government’s handling of the crisis.
He consistently called for the immediate rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers while questioning what he described as the administration’s response to the tragedy.
In one of his statements, Atiku criticised the distribution of relief materials, including bags of rice, to affected families, arguing that such measures did not address the real issue.
He described the gesture as “not governance” but rather “an abdication of responsibility,” insisting that the government’s priority should have been securing the immediate release of the victims.
The former vice president also urged the Federal Government to demonstrate greater urgency in responding to the crisis, warning that continued political activities amid the tragedy projected an image of insensitivity.
According to him, “every display of political merriment is a painful reminder of a government that appears increasingly disconnected from the suffering of its own people.”
On another occasion, Atiku maintained that “when children are missing, the nation expects urgency. When teachers are abducted, the nation expects compassion.”
He also questioned the response of First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu and accused the administration of placing greater emphasis on political engagements than on the plight of the kidnapped pupils and teachers.
However, following Friday’s announcement that the victims had regained their freedom, Atiku had not issued any public statement at the time Onanuga made his remarks.
Announcing the successful operation on Friday, Onanuga disclosed that the rescue was carried out without yielding to any of the kidnappers’ demands.
According to him, no ransom was paid and no negotiations or concessions were made to secure the victims’ release.
He revealed that the security operation led to the arrest of eight suspected members of the kidnapping syndicate, who have since been handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation.
He also disclosed that several other members of the criminal gang were neutralised during the operation.
Onanuga further stated that one of the notorious kingpins whose release had been demanded by the kidnappers remains in government custody and is currently facing prosecution, underscoring the administration’s determination not to reward criminality.
Peter Obi, whose response was praised by Onanuga, described the rescue as welcome news deserving of national celebration.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Obi said he was “greatly relieved and delighted” to learn that the abducted pupils and teachers had finally regained their freedom.
He expressed appreciation to all those who contributed to the successful rescue, particularly members of the security agencies whose efforts made the operation possible.
Despite welcoming the development, Obi cautioned against viewing the rescue as the end of Nigeria’s broader insecurity challenge.
He stressed that kidnapping remains a serious national problem requiring comprehensive reforms and stronger security measures to protect citizens across the country.
According to the former Anambra State governor, the successful operation should serve as renewed motivation for authorities to strengthen efforts to combat kidnapping, terrorism and other violent crimes.
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and President Bola Tinubu have also welcomed the successful rescue of the victims.
President Tinubu commended the military, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies for what he described as their professionalism, resilience and tireless commitment in securing the victims’ freedom without making concessions to the abductors.
The rescue has been widely celebrated across Nigeria, bringing relief to the affected families while renewing confidence in the country’s security agencies.
However, the political exchanges that have followed the operation have also highlighted the continuing rivalry between the ruling administration and opposition figures as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum.
