By Sunday Adedokun Harshasha

The true test of any government is not the number of projects it commissions, the length of speeches delivered at public events, or the volume of promises made during election campaigns. The true test of government is its ability to protect lives, secure communities and guarantee the safety of its citizens.

Today, the people of Oyo State and indeed Nigerians are confronted with a painful question that demands urgent answers: Where are the abducted students, teachers and staff members taken away in Orire Local Government Area?

As families continue to live in anguish, communities remain traumatized, and concerned citizens anxiously await positive news, silence and slow responses have become increasingly disturbing. Every passing hour deepens the suffering of parents whose children have not returned home. Every passing day raises fresh concerns about the effectiveness of our security architecture.

The abduction in Orire Local Government Area is a direct assault on the future of our nation. An attack on students is an attack on education. An attack on teachers is an attack on knowledge. An attack on schools is an attack on national development.

History will not judge us kindly if we normalize these tragedies.

The disturbing reality is that kidnappings have evolved from isolated criminal activities into organized threats capable of disrupting education, economic activities and social stability. What happened in Oriire is a painful reminder that criminal elements continue to exploit weaknesses within our security system.

While government officials may issue statements of concern and security agencies may assure the public of ongoing operations, Nigerians deserve more than assurances. They deserve results.

The families of the victims are not interested in political rhetoric. They want their children back. They want their loved ones rescued alive. They want justice. They want action.

At this critical moment, the Federal Government, Oyo State Government, security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders and all stakeholders must unite and treat this matter as an emergency of national importance.

The rescue of the abducted victims must become a priority mission. Security agencies must immediately intensify intelligence gathering operations, deploy advanced surveillance technology where available, increase aerial monitoring of vulnerable forest corridors, and strengthen collaboration among the military, police, civil defence corps, local vigilante groups and intelligence units.

The time has come to move beyond reactive security measures. Government at all levels must establish a comprehensive School Safety Protection Framework across the country. Schools located in vulnerable and rural areas should have dedicated security personnel, emergency response systems, perimeter fencing, surveillance facilities and direct communication links to security agencies.

There should also be a statewide security audit of all educational institutions to identify vulnerabilities before criminals exploit them.

Furthermore, rural communities must no longer be treated as security afterthoughts. Criminals often thrive in areas where government presence is weak and security infrastructure is inadequate. Strategic security bases should be established around vulnerable communities while regular patrols must become a permanent feature rather than occasional responses after attacks occur.

Technology must also play a central role in modern security management. Governments should invest in drone surveillance, geographic information systems, emergency tracking platforms, artificial intelligence, assisted intelligence gathering and community-based digital reporting systems capable of providing real-time security information.

Equally important is the need for stronger community policing structures. Residents are often the first to observe suspicious activities. A secure and confidential reporting mechanism should be created to encourage citizens to share intelligence without fear of retaliation.

The security challenge facing Nigeria cannot be solved solely through force. It must be addressed through a combination of intelligence, technology, community participation, institutional accountability and political will.

The Orire abduction should serve as a wake-up call. The nation cannot afford to become comfortable with headlines about missing students, kidnapped teachers and grieving families. Every unresolved abduction emboldens criminals and weakens public confidence in government institutions.

This is not the time for bureaucratic delays. This is not the time for blame games. This is not the time for political calculations. This is the time for decisive action. The children and staff members abducted in Orire Local Government Area are not statistics. They are human beings with dreams, aspirations and families waiting desperately for their return.

As citizens, we must continue to raise our voices, we must continue to demand accountability. We must continue to advocate for justice. As government, authorities must continue searching until every victim is safely reunited with their family.

Nigeria must send a clear message to criminals that no citizen is abandoned and no community is forgotten. Until every abducted child and staff member returns home safely, our collective conscience must remain restless.

The question remains before the nation, where are our children? And more importantly, what are we doing to bring them back?

About the Author

Sunday Adedokun Harshasha is a journalist, public affairs commentator, and media communications specialist whose work focuses on governance, accountability, social justice, and human development. He is passionate about using journalism and public advocacy to drive informed discourse and positive societal change.