Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, has openly questioned the viability of using bombing as a response to the prolonged captivity of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State.
Bwala made the remarks on The Morayo Show on Wednesday while addressing public frustration over the stalled rescue efforts, now more than 50 days since the abduction.
On May 15, 2026, gunmen invaded three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, kidnapping over 39 pupils some as young as two years old and seven teachers.
One of the teachers, mathematics instructor Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded shortly after the attack, heightening fears for the remaining hostages.
When asked if the victims had been forgotten, Bwala insisted the government is fully aware of their situation and is prioritising their safe rescue.
“We know they are alive and they are well. To bring them back, to get them out alive, is much more important than whatever anybody is saying in the news,” he said.
He warned that deploying lethal force, such as bombing suspected hideouts, risks endangering the lives of the captives.
“If you use lethal force, you may end up jeopardising the life of the people that are kidnapped,” Bwala stated, emphasising that the government’s primary duty in hostage situations is to secure the safe release of victims.
He challenged critics by asking: “Should the government now forcefully begin bombing where we believe they are being held, because one person was beheaded and there is a possibility that the rest will be killed? Or tell me what you think we should do.”
Negotiations for the release of the remaining victims are still ongoing with no breakthrough reported so far.
The incident has sparked widespread concern and calls for more decisive action against banditry in the region.
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