The Nigeria Police Force has assured Nigerians that efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the abducted students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, expressing confidence that the victims will soon regain their freedom.
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department and South-West operations, Adegoke Fayoade, gave the assurance on Monday during a working visit to the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters in Ikeja.
Fayoade said security agencies, in collaboration with government authorities, were working round the clock to ensure the safe rescue of the victims.
“The update is that all agencies, including government, are working very hard. I can assure you that within the shortest possible time, the children and their teachers will be free,” he said.
The DIG stressed that the safety of the abducted pupils and teachers remains a top priority for security agencies involved in the operation.
He also disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force is intensifying efforts to strengthen its manpower through the recruitment of 40,000 additional personnel across the country.
According to him, the initiative is part of broader measures aimed at improving national security and enhancing the operational capacity of the police.
Fayoade further revealed that officers are undergoing training in artificial intelligence and other technology-driven tools to improve intelligence gathering and criminal investigations.
“The Nigeria Police Force is also investing heavily in technology, including the development of a central data centre in Abuja to support intelligence sharing and criminal records management across security agencies,” he said.
The police chief used the occasion to direct officers in Lagos State to intensify operations against armed robbery, cultism, and other violent crimes.
He warned criminal elements that there would be no hiding place for lawbreakers in the state and urged officers to strengthen community policing and collaboration with other security agencies.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Tijani Fatai, said the command had recorded significant successes in the fight against crime since he assumed office.
According to him, police operatives arrested 204 suspects and recovered 60 firearms, as well as 625 rounds of ammunition, during various operations across the state.
Fatai, however, disclosed that seven police officers lost their lives in the line of duty during the period under review, while three others sustained injuries.
Despite the losses, he assured residents that the command would continue to pursue criminals relentlessly and maintain efforts to safeguard lives and property across Lagos State.
“We will stop at nothing to ensure that the fight against crime is aggressively pursued,” the commissioner said.
