Toyin Abraham, Kunle Remi, ID Cabasa, others condemn Oyo abduction, insecurity in Nigeria
Several Nigerian celebrities have condemned the abduction of pupils, students, and teachers in Oyo State, as well as the worsening insecurity across the country under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Several Nigerian celebrities have condemned the abduction of pupils, students, and teachers in Oyo State, as well as the worsening insecurity across the country under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that about 32 people were kidnapped from Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele; Primary School, Esiele; and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School, all in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
The newspaper further reported that one of the victims, a mathematics teacher identified as Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in captivity.
Reacting to the abductions and what they described as a “muted response” from Mr Tinubu and his administration, they demanded urgent action from security agencies and government authorities.
In a series of posts on their social media handles, the entertainers expressed sympathy for the victims and their families.
They urged swift intervention to secure the release of those still in captivity and prevent further attacks.
Filmmaker and actress Toyin Abraham-Ajeyemi said in a tweet on her X page on Wednesday that kidnapping, killings … must not be normalised in Nigeria.
She says that Nigeria belongs to all its citizens, adding that the moment calls for unity, compassion and a shared sense of responsibility.
The actress also calls on Nigerians to keep raising their voices, supporting one another and praying for lasting peace in the country.
The mother of one further prays for God to comfort bereaved families, heal the nation and safeguard innocent lives.
She writes: “My heart is deeply heavy over the painful killings and abductions happening in Oyo State and across different parts of Nigeria. As someone with strong ties to Oyo State through family, culture and love for the people, this tragedy feels very personal to me. It is heartbreaking to see innocent lives lost, families thrown into mourning, children living in fear and communities traumatised by violence.
“I mourn especially with the families of the victims, the parents whose children were taken, and everyone affected by the recent attacks in Oriire Local Government Area and other parts of Oyo. No Nigerian deserves to live in fear. No child should be afraid to go to school. No family should wake up to news of violence and bloodshed.”
The actress, however, commended the efforts of security agencies and the Oyo State government, while calling for more urgent and decisive action to secure the release of the captives and protect lives and communities.
“And please, what is the state government doing to prevent future occurrences?” Abraham-Ajeyemi asked.
Film producer and actor Kunle Remi condemned the government’s silence over the kidnapping.
He also criticised ongoing political campaigns and preparations for the forthcoming general election.
Remi questioned how politicians could proceed with campaigns while kidnapped victims remained stranded in the forests.
“As I settle in for the night, I can’t help but think. As you go to bed tonight, remember that children are sleeping in forests. Imagine the
cold, the bugs, the fear, the discomfort. Remember, a mother is holding her baby, helpless.
“Parents praying for safety. Schools living in fear. And somehow, in the middle of all these election campaigns and preparations, bloggers are still posting election-related content like everything is normal. May we never become so used to tragedy that we stop feeling it”, Remi stated in a statement posted on his Instagram page on Monday night.
Besides, music producer and singer Olumide “ID Cabasa” Ogunade expressed sadness that the citizens had become desensitised to evil in the country.
ID Cabasa, in a video posted on his Instagram page, also expressed frustration over what he described as Nigerians’ growing tendency to interpret critical voices through political lenses.
He noted that this often happens even when individuals speak out against insecurity, economic hardship and other pressing challenges facing the country.
“Nigerians have gotten used to the killing. We have adjusted to the darkness that has covered this country. The government of the day is not taking action. We make all of these things political. We make it religious. We make it ethical. We make it tribal. And I am saying this. The devil is devouring us in Nigeria. Evil is devouring us.
“And it’s so sad. Whatever name they call it, banditry, terrorism, is eating us in Nigeria. They are taking our loved ones. Parents are no longer sending their kids to school. An innocent teacher was beheaded. The last time, a woman was carrying a child and was praying that the child should not die. A guy who was already dead should not die. And the next minute, another challenge will come up online, and people start walking on trends. Comic relief will come”, he wrote on his Instagram page on Tuesday.
The 50-year-old noted that whenever evil occurs, Nigerians gradually adjust, likening the situation to a frog in boiling water.
He added that urgent action is needed to address what he described as a “growing darkness” over Nigeria, whether it stems from the government or any other source.
“It needs to be broken. Nigerians, if you have a voice, speak up. Speak up. This thing is getting close to home. It’s getting close to home. The way I’ve been feeling in the last few days, as we have this killing, is I see these terror guys. They are even the ones in government. The way it looks now, because you can’t tell me that the government can be this helpless. That people died. Nothing solid has actually come from the government.
“Nothing solid has come. I see what happens when some of these things occur in the United States. The emphatic way that the presidency will talk, that will come after you, will get you, and will go you down. But what do we do? We get to rehabilitate these same guys who have caused mayhem. That has caused families to cry. That has caused. We will test whether we are debilitating them. We are bringing them back into the system. Nigerian government, do something about this”, ID Cabasa noted.
Actress Oluwabukola “Bukola Arugba” Awoyemi questioned which places and individuals were still safe under Mr Tinubu’s administration.
In a post on her Instagram page on Tuesday, the actress called for divine intervention and prayed for the safe return of the abductees to their respective homes.
Her words, “I cried myself to sleep last night after watching children crying in the bandits’ camp, and I woke up crying again after seeing heartbreaking videos of elderly people being beaten by the young criminals.
“I’m sure I’m not being overly emotional. Anyone with human feelings should feel this pain. It is truly sad. Dear God, Nigeria needs your help. When the help of man fails, only God’s help is certain. We are helpless. God, please send urgent help in Jesus’s name.”
