‎By Olawumi Oyehan

‎The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Sunday, joined the people of Oyo State and other Nigerians in thanking God for the safe rescue of the pupils, teachers and other victims abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area, after 56 difficult days in captivity.

‎CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement issued in Abuja, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, and all the security agencies involved in the rescue of the teachers and the school children.

‎Okoh also tasked the relevant agencies to ensure the freedom of every Nigerian still held by terrorists, bandits or other criminal groups.

‎”For the children who have returned, for the teachers who have been reunited with their families, and for parents whose tears have given way to joy, this is a day of profound gratitude. We give God all the glory for preserving their lives through an ordeal no child or teacher should ever experience.

‎”I also commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Security Adviser, the Armed Forces, the Intelligence Agencies, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, Amotekun Corps, local hunters, vigilantes and everyone who played a role in bringing this painful episode to a successful conclusion. The reports that the operation was guided by patience, credible intelligence and a determination to protect innocent lives are reassuring and deserve recognition. Every successful rescue reminds us that when our security institutions work together with resolve and professionalism, hope can triumph over fear.

‎”Governor Seyi Makinde also deserves our appreciation for standing with the affected families throughout this painful period. We are encouraged by his assurance that the Oyo State Government will support the rehabilitation of the rescued children and teachers as they begin to rebuild their lives. We rejoice with the government and people of Oyo State and pray that such sorrow will never visit our schools again.

‎”As encouraging as this development is, however, I find it difficult to celebrate without also thinking about other Nigerian families whose own story has not yet changed.

‎”Today, parents in Oriire will hold their children again after weeks of anxious waiting. We rejoice with them. But there are mothers and fathers in Borno, Niger and other parts of our country who will still go to bed praying that the next knock on the door will bring news that their own children are coming home.

‎”Their pain is no less real because it attracts fewer headlines. Their tears are no less bitter because the cameras have moved elsewhere.

‎”As Christians, we believe that every child is a gift from God and that every human life carries equal dignity. That is why Scripture urges us to “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed” (Psalm 82:3). Our compassion must never become selective, and our concern must never depend on geography, ethnicity or religion.

‎”The rescue in Oyo should strengthen our determination to secure the freedom of every Nigerian still held by terrorists, bandits or other criminal groups. It should renew hope for families who have waited far too long and reassure them that they have not been forgotten.

‎”It should also remind us that bringing victims home is only part of the task. Children who have lived through weeks of fear will need time, care and understanding to heal. The same is true of their teachers and families. We therefore encourage governments, faith communities and humanitarian organisations to work together in providing the counselling, medical care and emotional support they will require as they rebuild their lives.

‎”Our schools must once again become places of learning, not places of fear. No parent should have to choose between giving a child an education and keeping that child alive.

‎”At this moment of thanksgiving, I urge all Nigerians not to allow this welcome success to diminish our concern for those who are still in captivity. Let us continue to pray, to support our security personnel, and to stand with every family that is waiting for the safe return of a loved one.

‎”CAN will continue to pray for the full recovery of those who have been rescued and for God’s protection over the men and women risking their lives to defend our nation. We also pray that the Lord will comfort families still living with uncertainty and grant success to every lawful effort to bring the remaining captives home.

‎”Our celebration will be complete not only when those in captivity are released but also when all Nigerians can move about freely without fear,” the statement read.

‎It would be recalled that 46 people—consisting of 39 pupils and 7 teachers, were initially abducted during the mass school kidnapping in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Following a 56-day captivity ordeal, security agencies successfully rescued the surviving 44 victims alive, which included all 39 schoolchildren and 5 of the teachers.

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