By Our Correspondent
National News – President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the teachers and pupils abducted from three primary schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State will be rescued safely, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to combat insecurity across the country.
Speaking on Thursday during the inauguration of the remodelled Premier Hotel in Ibadan, the President said security agencies were deploying every available strategy, including international collaboration, to secure the release of the victims.
“I want to reassure the good people of Oyo State and indeed the South-West that the Federal Government is seriously addressing the rising cases of banditry, kidnapping and other criminal activities across the country,” Tinubu said.
The President urged citizens to support security agencies by providing credible intelligence, while calling on traditional rulers and religious leaders to play active roles in strengthening community security.
According to him, sustained peace and security remain essential to economic growth, noting that his administration has invested significantly in enhancing the country’s security architecture through improved intelligence gathering, stronger inter-agency collaboration, technological surveillance and community-based security initiatives.
Tinubu also disclosed that the National Assembly is considering legislation aimed at strengthening policing across all levels of government.
He expressed confidence that the government’s security measures were already producing positive results in several parts of the country, assuring Nigerians, investors and visitors that efforts would continue until the nation becomes safer for all.
The President spoke while inaugurating the newly redeveloped Premier Hotel, describing the project as the restoration of a national landmark and a testament to Nigeria’s growing investment potential.
He paid tribute to the founding leaders of the old Western Region for establishing enduring institutions and urged South-West governors to preserve and build on that legacy through strategic investments and regional collaboration.
Tinubu said ongoing economic reforms were laying the foundation for a stronger and more resilient economy, citing improving investor confidence, increasing strategic investments and stronger foreign reserves as signs of progress.
He encouraged local and foreign investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s vast opportunities, assuring them that the Federal Government remained committed to creating a business-friendly environment.
The President also highlighted tourism and hospitality as key pillars of his administration’s economic diversification agenda, saying investments in transport infrastructure, digital services and public-private partnerships would position Nigeria as a leading destination for business, tourism and entertainment.
Tinubu further announced that the South West Development Commission would work closely with state governments, the Odu’a Investment Company, the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission and private investors to accelerate regional economic development.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Misbau Babatunde, described the reopening of Premier Hotel as a significant milestone in restoring one of Nigeria’s most iconic hospitality facilities.
He commended the Odu’a Investment Company, jointly owned by the governments of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Lagos states, for repositioning the hotel as a modern hospitality destination.
Also speaking, Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Bimbo Ashiru, said the Premier Hotel was conceived as the flagship hospitality asset of the former Western Region and had served for decades as one of West Africa’s foremost luxury destinations.
The President’s remarks come weeks after gunmen abducted pupils and teachers during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, all in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
