TUC Praises Tinubu, Security Agencies Over Release of 130 Abducted Niger Pupils

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has applauded President Bola Tinubu and the country’s security agencies following the release of the remaining pupils abducted from a boarding school in Niger State, describing the development as a major relief for parents and the nation at large.

Speaking on Sunday during Channels Television’s Politics Today, TUC President Festus Osifo welcomed the news after confirmation that the final group of students held in captivity had been freed.

Osifo, who also heads the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), expressed appreciation to security operatives for ending weeks of anxiety experienced by the families of the abducted children.

“First, I thank our security personnel for this breaking news. For us, we are quite elated and happy because, as parents, when your children go to school and do not return home, I wonder if any of those fathers and mothers were able to sleep in the last month,” he said.

He singled out the coordinated efforts of the security agencies involved in the rescue operation, noting that their actions restored hope to affected families.

“So, we thank the security outfit led by the office of the National Security Adviser and the Ministry of Defence for coming to the rescue of those children,” Osifo added.

While celebrating the release, the labour leader called on the Federal Government to strengthen measures to prevent future school abductions, warning that repeated incidents were discouraging school attendance and spreading fear nationwide.

“We must put in the right architecture to ensure that whatever happened in Chibok, Dapchi, Kebbi and now Niger does not happen again,” he said.

The remaining pupils and teachers abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, regained their freedom on Sunday, bringing an end to the November 21 attack on the school.

The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, confirmed that a total of 130 pupils had been released.

“Another 130 abducted Niger State pupils released. None left in captivity,” Dare wrote on X.

The abduction, which took place around 2:00 a.m., had triggered widespread outrage and renewed concerns over school safety, leading President Tinubu to order a large-scale security operation across Niger State and neighbouring areas.

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