Presidency defends secrecy over Oyo school rescue plans

The Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, has defended the Federal Government’s approach to communicating kidnapping incidents, saying public updates on rescue operations could compromise security efforts as armed groups also monitor social media.

His comments came on Monday amid renewed criticism online over the handling of recent school abductions, with some users accusing the government of failing to provide sufficient assurances on rescue operations.

Responding via his X handle, Olusegun argued that operational secrecy was necessary to protect victims and security personnel, insisting that law enforcement agencies must be allowed to work without public disclosure of sensitive details.

“The Kidnappers are on social media with us and follow the trends to get updates. You cannot possibly expect the government to update rescue plans on social media if you really have the interest of those kids at heart, and it is not just for performative purposes. Concerned, we must. Reckless, we mustn’t,” he said.

He added that the priority remained securing the safe return of abducted victims, warning against actions that could endanger ongoing operations.

“I understand your anger, but a large bulk of it should be reserved for the cowardly terrorists who use kids as human shields. These kids have to be rescued alive. It serves no purpose for our armed forces to charge in headfirst and hope for the best. They are kids, fgs!” he added.

Responding to a critic on sanctions for those who share false information under the guise of reporting security incidents, Olusegun said his role was limited to countering misinformation, stressing that enforcement actions rest with security agencies.

“It is not my job to arrest or publicly state with authority that anyone will be arrested for sharing false information. Everyone does their part. Mine is to debunk, yours is to amplify, while the law enforcement will do theirs,” he said.

The clarification comes as public concern mounts over recurring school kidnappings in parts of the country, with growing criticism of government communication around rescue efforts.

In response to recent attacks, President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State as part of efforts to strengthen security in forest corridors used by armed groups.

The decision followed the abduction of pupils and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area, where armed attackers also killed a teacher during a raid.

National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, said the recruitment process would begin in July 2026, adding that personnel would be drawn locally and deployed to improve surveillance and counter-bandit operations.