RECENTLY, Nigerians heaved a huge sigh of relief as 308 victims abducted during multiple attacks in Niger and Kwara states were released. One hundred and sixty-three of these rescued persons were abducted from Woro community in Kaiama, Kwara State, and 145 from Niger State. According to security reports, the victims were rescued from the Kainji Lake National Park forest in New Bussa Local Government Area of Niger State. The Federal Government said this was the outcome of a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation conducted by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). According to it, this was done in concert with personnel of the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.  Security agencies further said that this operation was the largest rescue operation ever carried out on the same day by the joint security team.

Characteristically, President Bola Tinubu warmly welcomed the rescue, expressing deep appreciation to the combined leadership and personnel of the security agencies for their bravery, seamless inter-agency collaboration, and dedication. He said: “The successful execution of this intelligence-led operation demonstrates the growing efficiency and collaboration among our security services. I commend our gallant men and women in uniform for their bravery and unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives.” The President  also emphasised the urgency and imperative of bolstering national security infrastructure to prevent future occurrences. He urged security agencies and relevant stakeholders to immediately strengthen early warning mechanisms, enhance community-level intelligence gathering, and improve rapid response capabilities. The President also canvassed the need for vigilance and security alertness across the country. He said that his administration remained steadfast in its resolve to contain security threats, protect vulnerable communities, and restore lasting peace across all nooks and crannies of the country.

The rescue of the abductees, who had experienced horror in the den of kidnappers for months, is a welcome development. It is indeed gladsome that even though the rescue took a long time, a great percentage of the abducted victims eventually regained their freedom. In this regard, we give kudos to the President and the security agencies. Their efforts led to the abductees reuniting with their families. We also commiserate with the families of victims who died in the abductors’ dens.

That said, however, we urge that more efforts be made to achieve the President’s clearly outlined goals. One of the things that must be done is to ensure an overall national security measure that would make abduction of Nigerians impossible in the first instance. Good as it is that Nigerians, the government and the families of the recently freed abductees are rejoicing at their release, there is nothing to cheer about the cycle of abductions and releases of hapless Nigerians. The joy of Nigerians would be fuller if the incubus of abduction is totally banished from the land. For how long will the authorities celebrate releases that should not have happened in the first place?

ALSO READ: Security operatives rescue kidnap victims in Kwara South communities

The government must expedite action on the state police bill that is currently going through the mill of legislation. A state police architecture, where each state is master of its territory and its challenges, would make it easier to address crime cases. State policing would allow each state to articulate its own indigenous and ingenuous methods of combating insecurity, and they would be taken to account on this. To be sure, abduction cases deserve close examination. This is also why the country must not treat the abduction and rescue/release of the abducted victims in Oriire, Oyo State, as a bygone issue. It should be an eye-opener to both states and the Federal Governments. They should not allow outlaws to prey on law-abiding citizens and make them go through hell in thick forests. Shedding light on what transpired in that grueling abduction episode will help the country to handle security cases better and equip it with the tools to prevent or address future incidents.

Nigeria must drill deeper into the roots of the menace of abductions. Already, they are mired in controversy, and there is the troubling argument that selective handling of kidnapping cases by the Federal Government allows them to fester. The government must counter this narrative through prompt and decisive action on all cases. It should learn from previous cases, and carry out a holistic postmortem. The point is that Nigeria must move away from celebrating rescues. Nigerians need to be better protected. Prevention, as they say, is better than cure. The government’s responsibility to protect the people is sacrosanct.