‘There Was No Rescue Operation’ — Kemi Olunloyo Challenges Official Story on Oyo Pupils’ Release

Journalist Dr. Kemi Olunloyo has again questioned the Federal Government’s account of how the abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State regained their freedom, insisting that the victims were not rescued through a military operation.

In a post shared on social media, Olunloyo alleged that the children had been returned to Oyo State days before the government publicly announced their rescue.

According to her, the victims were allegedly brought back from Katsina State on July 8 and kept at a military facility before being presented to the public on July 10.

She further claimed that the official rescue narrative was staged and alleged that the pupils were filmed receiving snacks while their school principal delivered what she described as a rehearsed speech.

Olunloyo also questioned why the principal publicly thanked President Bola Tinubu and security agencies, but did not acknowledge Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, God or Nigerians who had campaigned for the victims’ release.

Beyond the circumstances of the release, she made additional allegations linking the abduction to political interests, claiming that the victims were held to influence political developments in Oyo State ahead of future elections.

She also alleged that some of the children had been moved to northern Nigeria during their captivity and called for an independent investigation into the entire incident.

However, Olunloyo did not provide evidence to support these claims.

Her comments differ sharply from the official position of the Nigerian Army and the Presidency.

The military has maintained that the victims were rescued after a month-long intelligence-led operation involving the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Nigeria Police Force, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and other security agencies.

According to the Army, multiple suspects were arrested during the operation, while sustained pressure on the kidnappers forced them to release the 44 abducted pupils and teachers.

The Presidency has also commended the security agencies for the operation, describing it as a successful mission carried out without yielding to the kidnappers’ demands.

Tragedy Strikes as Building Under Construction Collapses in Kano, Leaving One Dead

One person has died while three others were rescued after a three-storey building under construction collapsed on Friday in Kano State, prompting an emergency rescue operation by the Kano State Fire Service.

The incident occurred along Sultan Road, near Sazo Restaurant, in Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.

According to the spokesperson for the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Abdullahi, the agency received a distress call at about 10:14 a.m. from a resident, Musa Yau, who reported that the structure had collapsed.

Firefighters were immediately mobilised to the scene and arrived within approximately 10 minutes to begin rescue operations.

Emergency responders successfully pulled four people from the rubble and rushed them to a nearby hospital. However, one of the victims was confirmed dead, while the three others are receiving medical treatment.

Rescue teams continued searching through the debris as authorities worked to ensure that no additional victims remained trapped beneath the collapsed structure.

Speaking on the incident, Abdullahi attributed the collapse to the alleged use of substandard building materials.

He urged engineers, contractors and property developers to strictly comply with approved building regulations and use quality construction materials to reduce the risk of similar tragedies.

The latest incident has renewed concerns over building safety standards in Nigeria, where structural collapses have continued to claim lives and destroy property in recent years.

Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse, while emergency responders remain on standby until the search operation is concluded.

The identities of the victims had not been released as of the time this report was filed.

 

NDLEA Arrests UK-Bound 67-Year-Old Woman with 13kg Cocaine Concealed in Fake Plantain Peels

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mary Yetunde Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

According to the NDLEA, the suspect, a UK-based caregiver, was intercepted on Sunday, June 28, while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight from Lagos to London.

During a routine inspection, NDLEA operatives reportedly discovered 31 wraps of cocaine, weighing a total of 13 kilograms, carefully packaged to resemble fresh plantain peels in an apparent attempt to evade airport security checks.

The anti-narcotics agency said the suspect admitted ownership of the illicit consignment during preliminary questioning.

The arrest forms part of the NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to strengthen surveillance at Nigeria’s international airports and disrupt transnational drug trafficking networks.

The agency has continued to intensify operations aimed at preventing illicit drugs from leaving or entering the country, while urging members of the public to support the fight against drug trafficking by providing credible information to security agencies.

Photo Credit: NDLEA