The governor said the release of the remaining students of the school, which brings the total number of those rescued to 230, fulfils President Bola Tinubu's pledge to ensure the freedom of the students without any hurt, and facilitate their reunion with their parents.
Ogun State Governor and Chairman of the Southern Governors' Forum, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed delight with the release of 130 students of St Mary's Catholic School Papiri community, Niger State, previously held in captivity after 100 of them were released earlier this month, saying that it is a sign that evil forces will not triumph over Nigeria. According to the Governor, the release of the remaining students of the school, which brings the total number of those rescued to 230, fulfils President Bola Tinubu's pledge to ensure the freedom of the students without any hurt, and facilitate their reunion with their parents.
Commending the President for the security measures rolled out, which he said had restored the confidence of Nigerians in their government, Mr Abiodun said the catalogue of releases of abducted persons, including 24 from Kebbi State and 100 from a Catholic school in Niger State, as well as the Christian worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State, shows that the President has capacity to face Nigeria's challenges head on.
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Governor Abiodun, in a statement issued in Abeokuta on Sunday, said it is particularly heartwarming that the students and their parents would be able to celebrate the Yuletide in warm embrace after the terrible ordeal, urging the security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent allowed by law. He said: "I am extremely delighted to learn that the remaining 130 students of St. Mary's Catholic School Papiri community, Niger State, who were hitherto in captivity, have been released.
"The students, their parents, Papiri community and the Government of Niger State have all been through a lot, and I rejoice with them in this moment of triumph over the forces of darkness who seized innocent students from their hostels, and their teachers from the school grounds. "If this incident shows anything, it is the fact that the Bola Tinubu administration is committed to a safe, secure and prosperous Nigeria, and deserves our collective prayers and moral support
"The president is determined to tackle the upsurge of kidnapping and terrorist attacks, and bring sanity back to our society, which will invariably restore the confidence of Nigerians and the international community in the government, and bring massive development. The security agencies deserve plaudits for this feat. I also urge them to ensure that the terrorists behind the attacks on innocent and law-abiding Nigerians are hunted down and prosecuted to the fullest extent allowed by law."
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