APC defends security agencies and urges patience as operatives conduct sensitive rescue missions involving abducted schoolchildren
All Progressives Congress National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka on Tuesday defended the country’s security agencies and urged Nigerians to remain patient as rescue operations continue for abducted schoolchildren across several troubled regions.
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The comments came during an interview on Channels Television’s Morning Brief programme, where Mr Morka said the government’s priority was the safety of the children still in captivity.
Mr Morka said security operatives were navigating one of the most delicate tasks in countering violent crime.
He warned that any miscalculated attempt to hasten rescue operations could place victims at greater risk, adding that the restraint shown by security agencies was intentional and necessary.
He described operations involving minors as among the most complex even for elite forces. According to him, excessive force could escalate danger and undermine ongoing negotiations or tactical manoeuvres.
He appealed to Nigerians to show understanding as officers work under what he called extraordinary pressure.
The APC spokesperson commended the professionalism of the armed forces and other security agencies. He described operatives as individuals who put their lives on the line daily to safeguard communities, calling their efforts courageous and vital to national stability.
His remarks echoed the party’s continued support for the forces confronting criminal networks across the country.
Mr Morka expressed confidence that those responsible for recent abductions and violent crimes would be arrested and prosecuted. He said the party believed strongly in accountability and insisted that perpetrators would face justice once ongoing operations reached a safe conclusion.
The interview followed developments in Niger State, where one hundred schoolchildren abducted last month from St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri were rescued by the armed forces.
Governor Mohammed Bago received the children at Government House in Minna under tight security, marking a significant breakthrough in the operation.
Gunmen had attacked the school on 21 November, abducting 315 people, including 303 students. Around fifty children escaped within the first day, while others remained in captivity.
President Bola Tinubu welcomed the rescue in a statement issued by his spokesperson Bayo Onanuga and ordered security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of the remaining 115 pupils and their teachers.
The government said further operations would continue with careful precision as officers attempt to recover the remaining hostages without endangering their lives.
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The party’s latest defence of the security agencies comes amid growing public concern and underscores the powerfully emotional nature of the crisis.
