Debo Ogundoyin, the speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, has warned against negotiating with terrorists who kidnapped about 50 schoolchildren and teachers from Esienle and Yawota, communities in Orire LGA.
They were abducted on May 15.
Mr Ogundoyin spoke during plenary on Wednesday, when the lawmaker representing Oriire state constituency, Johnson Ogundele, moved a motion demanding urgent rescue of the hostages.
“The government should do everything necessary to bring these children and their teachers back,” he stated. “Oriire had witnessed increasing bandit activities since January, including the attack on the National Park Service office at Oloka village, where five forest guards were killed. I want to equally urge the state government to intensify support for security agencies and establish a permanent military base within and around vulnerable communities and forest corridors in the area.”
However, the speaker retorted, “If it were up to you, would you negotiate with terrorists? If they asked for weapons, money, or concessions of future laws of this land as part of their ransom, if you were the governor, would you accept that? Would you accept those people to be integrated into that community?”
The speaker added, “We don’t know the details. So, please, let’s be sensitive and calm. You do not know the details. The more you negotiate with these people, the more you embolden them.”
