The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye (Orumogege III), said efforts to rescue the pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire, Oyo State, have been hindered by the circumstances surrounding the abduction and the potential consequences of a forceful rescue operation.

The monarch, who made the remark while addressing protesters who visited his palace on Monday, said the government chose dialogue with the terrorists to prevent further loss of lives.

“If you say this matter does not concern us or trouble us, we are lying. Most people don’t know that from 1982 to 1988, I was a secondary school teacher. So I know the value of a teacher. It was my first paying job in Oyo state,” Mr Olaoye said. “This matter is a difficult one. Besides being a teacher, I also have children. I am a father. It troubles me that we have children in captivity, because, if they were my own children, what would I do? So because of this, every effort we can make is what we are doing.”

The monarch added, “Only God can prevent unfortunate circumstances from befalling those children. If they storm the hideout and begin to shoot, we cannot be sure who will be hit by a bullet. This is why they are engaging in dialogue with the terrorists to ensure that no lives are lost.”

The monarch stressed that the government’s cautious approach to the rescue of the abducted victims is due to the risks involved, noting that they would have done the same if the children of the governor or president were involved.

“Yes, if it were the governors’ or the president’s children, wouldn’t they have done something about it? Let me explain why they have yet to do more than they have, even if it is their own child who is there. It is what is called collateral damage in English,” Mr Olaoye said. “I was there on Saturday. Many army vans were there. You would think, with this many soldiers, why are they not going into the kidnappers’ den? They can’t go where the hostages are because many lives will be lost.”

The monarch appealed to the protesting crowd to pray to God for the safe return of all the abducted victims and for a change of mindset of those responsible for the abduction.

“The first thing we would do is pray. We Christians, know that prayer is important. We Muslims know that too. Muslims even pray five times daily. Traditionalists should also engage in divination, calling on the Supreme Being. So we would all be praying that God will pacify the hearts of the abductors,” Mr Olaoye explained. “This is because if they storm the kidnappers’ den and more people die, that is not what we would be saying. So, this is why the government is being extremely careful.”

He also noted that the government would have addressed the terrorists’ demands if they were things that could be attended to quickly, adding that the prolonged stay of the victims in captivity has become an embarrassment to the government.

“Regarding the demands, if it is something the government can provide immediately, they would do so because the situation is embarrassing for the government. We should be praying for the safe return of the abducted children, wives and husbands,” he stated. “This matter is already an embarrassment for the government. When the president’s delegation visited, they said the president and his wife have not been able to sleep soundly.”

Earlier, youths in Ogbomoso on Monday threatened to barricade roads leading into and out of the city if the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire, Oyo state, were not safely rescued by the end of the week.