The Oluwo Ifa of Egbaland, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Ifagbeminiyi Baoku, yesterday urged the Oyo State Government to collaborate with traditional worshippers and harness indigenous spiritual resources to aid the release of the abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area.

Rcalled that, about a month ago, 39 pupils and seven teachers were kidnapped during an attack on different schools at  Oriire local council

The attack affected three schools: Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esinle, as well as Baptist Nursery and Primary School located in Yawota.

The abductors also killed Mr. Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher who was kidnapped from Community Grammar School.

However, speaking on the development, Baoku urged Governor Seyi Makinde not to play politics with the lives of the abductees especially when children were involved insisting that it was high time the government involved traditionalists in the rescue mission.

He dismissed suggestions from different quarters that traditional worshippers have lost their ancestral powers, stating that traditional practitioners could only take part in the rescue mission if the government formally engaged them.

The traditional chief called on the Oyo State Government to strengthen security agencies with the necessary weapons and ammunition and  complement the efforts with charms and ancestral powers to tackle insecurity and rescue the teachers and children in the forest.

He questioned the state government and other state in the Southwest region on their security votes, calling on President Bola Tinubu to urgently address the issue of insecurity and rescue the victims to win the mind of the people for second term in office.

He questioned how the state government and other Southwest states have utilized their security votes, while urging President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action to tackle insecurity and secure the release of the victims, arguing that such efforts would help earn public support for a second term in office.

He said ” It is time the state government of Oyo State engage traditionalists to rescue the teachers and the children. If the state government calls for the help of  traditional worshippers to use ancestral powers, I am sure they will quickly rescue the children and teachers from the den of the kidnappers.”

“I also want to appeal to Governor Makinde not to play politics with the rescue of the abductees and equip our security operatives with necessary weapons and after that he should call on traditionalists to arm the operatives with ancestral powers to rescue the victims.”

“Let me state these, our governors are not doing well, what are they doing with the security votes, I think our president should not relent and assist Oyo State Government with additional security operatives to ensure the speedy rescue of the victims.” he added.