The Elesinele of Esinele, the host community where teachers and students were abducted in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Oba Tajudeen Abioye, has explained why he stayed in the community when other residents fled.

He spoke in reaction to the news of the release of the abducted pupils, students and teachers at the weekend.

Speaking, the monarch, full of excitement and joy, said his joy knew no bounds on hearing the news of the release.

He explained that the longer the victims were held, the more he wondered whether the entire town would become empty under his watch.

He had kind words for President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, all the security operatives and every stakeholder who played a role in ensuring the safe return of the abductees.

He said that with the release, life will gradually return to the town, as many people had deserted the area because of the incident.

“If I had fled the community during the crisis period, the whole place would have become desolate by now.

“It was a very tough period for us all. More so, if I had gone away from the town, like many people did, it would have sent the wrong signal to the people.

“We thank President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, the security operatives and all those who stood by us during the period of the capture.

“With the release, we cannot sleep and continue our lives as before. I am sure many people will be glad to return to town and continue their lives.”

The monarch, however, added that, despite the rescue of the victims, the government must retain the security operatives in the area, particularly by locating a military base there, as that will boost the confidence of the people.

He expressed the readiness of the people of the community to support the effort in whatever capacity is required.

Also speaking, the Seriki Fulani of Oriire Local Government, Alhaji Suleiman Aliu, said he was overwhelmed with joy at the release of the victims.

He lamented that, since he was born into the community and had come of age, he had never seen anything like the incident, nor the joy and jubilation that followed the news of the safe rescue of the abductees.

“Since I was born and came of age, I had never felt such joy when I heard the news of their release.

“I was born and grew up in this community, nothing like this had ever happened here before, so it was strange to us when it happened.”

“But we are thankful to God and grateful to the government for helping us rescue them safely.”

Also, Rev. S.A. Oyekola of the First Baptist Church, Yawota, disclosed that one of the kidnapped children is a pupil at a private school.

“We are grateful to the government for making the release of the victims possible.

“The abduction caught us by surprise, especially the involvement of children who are some of our students. We can only thank God, the government and the security for their rescue. May God bless them all.”

This was as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ogbomoso branch, organised a thanksgiving service on Sunday for one of the kidnapped victims and the principal of the Community High School, Ahoro Esienle.

The thanksgiving service, which had in attendance the relations of the victim, including her husband, Professor Wole Alamu, a lecturer at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), was held at Oke-Elerin Baptist Church, Ogbomoso.

The worshippers were full of praise to God for sparing the victim’s life and thanked the Federal government and the security agencies, including the local vigilante, for their concerted efforts.

According to them, if not for the intervention of God, this kind of service wouldn’t have taken place, saying, “We thank God that all the kidnapped victims are returning back safe and unhurt. We return all the glories to God.”

In his sermon, Rev. Segun Oyelowo said the Christian body and the entire nation as a whole have every reason to thank God for the safe return of the people who were held captive for 56 days by the kidnappers.

He also thanked the Federal government, the Oyo state government, the security agencies and eminent citizens of the country for making the release possible. (The Nation:, excluding headline)