A former Director of Media Operations at the Defence Headquarters, Major General John Enenche (retd), has hailed security agencies and the government for the rescue of the abducted Oyo students and teachers after over 50 days in captivity.

Enenche said he was relieved when he heard about the successful rescue of the people who were picked up in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

“When they (Oyo schoolchildren and teachers) were rescued, I was in church; I quickly sent congratulatory messages to the principals, the Chief of Army Staff, the Special Adviser on Homeland Security, among others, because I’m excited. This is what I desire,” Enenche said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, which airs from 8 pm to 9 pm.

He, however, wants authorities to step up efforts to “close” security gaps to avoid a recurrence of such an incident. According to him, proactiveness is key to winning the war against insurgency.

“The biggest lesson out of this for me is that we need to close the gaps. There are gaps that we have identified, and that is why I call on my colleagues who are retired like me—not tired and passive— let them become more active. Let us close the gaps,” he said.

“Like I said, if the gaps that are there now are closed, we will not get to the level of leaving people in captivity for over 50 days, close to two months.”

He told security agencies and the government to “come together” to bring up and embrace innovations to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

Enenche noted that with these innovations, “we should be able to locate and geolocate places and put a [security] umbrella over this country” and track security challenges as they happen.

While commending security operatives for the rescue, Eneche asked Nigerians to “be proud of them (security operatives) and support them”.

“Give them the morale and encouragement to do more. We have a lot here, but we are only finding fault,” he said.

The former defence spokesman’s comment came days after the presidency and military authorities announced the rescue of the abductees who were taken from their schools in Oyo State.

Authorities say the victims are undergoing medical evaluation and treatment, after which they will be reunited with their families.

Their abduction had triggered an outpouring of outcry across the country, with teachers and residents of the state taking to the streets to demand the release of the victims.

But after 56 days in captivity, the victims were rescued following a joint security operation.

The Enugu State Police Command has launched a manhunt for the driver and conductor of a Mitsubishi L300 commercial bus over their alleged involvement in the assault of police officers, dangerous driving, attempted murder and the snatching of a police rifle.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, the incident occurred at about 1:20 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, at All Saints Roundabout along Abakaliki Road in Enugu.

The police said the suspects allegedly assaulted a traffic officer before fleeing the scene.

According to the force, operatives of the Command’s Distress Response Squad (DRS) acted on information received from the Control Room and intercepted the commercial bus.

However, rather than submit to arrest, the police said the driver allegedly slowed the vehicle momentarily before suddenly accelerating in an attempt to escape.

“The driver deceptively slowed down before suddenly accelerating in an attempt to escape. In the process, he knocked down one of the operatives and dragged away the officer’s AK-47 rifle, which had become entangled with the vehicle,” the statement read.

The police added that during the ensuing chase, the suspects allegedly threw the rifle out of the vehicle at the IMT Bus Stop along Abakaliki Road before speeding away.

“The rifle was immediately recovered intact, with its ammunition,” the police added.

The force said the suspects are being sought for alleged offences, including conspiracy, serious assault on police officers, dangerous driving, attempted murder and the snatching of a police rifle.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mamman Giwa, ordered a comprehensive investigation and directed operatives to intensify efforts to arrest and prosecute the fleeing suspects.

He also urged the driver and conductor to surrender themselves for investigation, warning that all lawful measures were being deployed to apprehend them.

The commissioner further appealed to members of the public to disregard what he described as misleading narratives surrounding the incident and warned against assaulting or obstructing police officers while carrying out their lawful duties.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Sunday said President Bola Tinubu’s administration is struggling under the weight of its failures.

ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the Tinubu administration has failed in the areas of security, economy, healthcare, education and virtually every measure of human dignity.

Posting on X, Abdullahi said the current administration which has shown much disdain for Nigerians, has extended the same gesture to city abroad in search of better opportunities.

He wrote: “It is sad that this government, which has shown such disdain for everyday Nigerians that are struggling under the weight of its failures, has now chosen to extend that same disregard to honest Nigerians who have japa’d in search of better opportunities.

“A government that has failed, and continues to fail, on security, the economy, healthcare, education, and virtually every measure of human dignity has no business lying to Nigerians and the world that things are better for the Nigerians in Nigeria, than they are for Nigerians abroad.

“Until this government can guarantee safety, create jobs, restore economic stability, and inspire confidence at home, it should either fix Nigeria or stop lecturing Nigerians who have simply done what the government itself has failed to do: secured a better future for themselves and their families.

“For perspective, and a little bit of respect, Nigeria’s total oil export earnings in 2025 were US$31.5 billion, while official diaspora remittances for the same year amounted to US$21.8 billion.