It was a difficult time for us - Turkish school

The victims and some of the school’s management staff...yesterday

Hours after Tuesday’s release of its abducted pupils and officials, the Nigerian Turkish International College (NTIC) yesterday spoke on the incident, saying it was a difficult time for the school and parents.

Mr Orhan Kertom, Managing Director NTIC in Isheri, Ogun State, said their joy knew no bounds when the victims were freed.

The victim were three pupils, three female, supervisors, a cook and a female teacher.

Kertim said the victims’ 11 days in captivity were “sleepless nights” for the school and management.

He spoke at the Oke-Mosan Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital when Governor Ibikunle Amosun received him, the freed pupils and staff and parents.

They were presented to the governor by the Commissioner of Police in the State, Ahmed Iliyasu.

Kertim praised President Muhammadu Buhari, the security agencies and Amosun for their support that led to the victims’ safe return

“It was very difficult time for all of us; for 11 days, we had sleepless nights but we were full of hopes and prayed.

“I will like to thank the President Muhammadu Buhari; Governor Amosun, Inspector General of Police, Director General of Department of State Service, Chief of Army Staff and all national security agencies for their continuous effort and support.

“I also want to use this medium to talk about our parents because since that night we’ve always felt their presence next to us. They have shown great, tremendous solidarity and and thank God that it is all over. Thank you very much once again Your Excellency.”

Iliyasu said the miscreants surrendered to the superiority of the technically-driven team of the intelligence response system of the Inspector-General of Police.

He said some high profile suspects had been arrested.

The police, he said, would sustain the peace in Ogun.

Iliyasu said: “The Inspector-General of Police mandated me to make a very clear view; it’s an ongoing operation between us with the military and the state services and I’m assuring you sir that the history of this state and the standard of this state as a peaceful state, as a safe and secure state will definitely continue to be in the history of this nation.

“Nobody would come and destroy the peace of this state; this is not a place that kind of a thing would be orchestrated. We are resolute, we are committed to the safety and security of not only the citizens of this state but to our national duty.

“I hereby present to you the management of the school and the kidnapped victims for your reception sir. Thank you for all your support throughout this period. The huge support, the huge backbone that you have given our operation that was carried out led to the success of what we are seeing today.”

An abducted pupil’s father, Steve Nwosu, Deputy Managing Director of The Sun, hailed the security chiefs and all who worked for the safe rescue of the victims.

He said: “We were all in this together and we are very happy as parents that it has turned out the way it has turned out. Yes, even if anybody has any misgivings, the important thing is the result and we are very happy.

“The governor, we must thank you for everything you did, we got to know indirectly, we knew what was happening.

“As a media person, I understand one or two things that was happening. On behalf of the parents and the children, we want to say a big thank you to everybody that participated in bringing back these children and we say may none of you experience what we experienced.”

Amosun restated his commitment to the safety of investors and their investment, saying the kidnappers wan’t go unpunished.

He said: “Let me assure them that they will pay dearly for this because this is Ogun State, we don’t allow criminals to operate here. Ogun State will not be comfort zone, we will not allow them to operate.

“Anybody that wants to do business, with good intention, without criminality, of course they are welcome to the state. But when they want to give us bad name, we will not allow that.

“So, I have news for them, we will go after them, we will hunt them down so that it would serve as deterrent. We are ready, yes, they would want to dare us and we will continue to be ready for them.

“ I don’t want people to go away with the feeling that maybe we are not safe in Ogun State. No, we are. But we will put all necessary measures in place to continue to show that we are peaceful people and this is a very safe environment.

“We are the industrial capital of Nigeria; there is no state that has the number of industries we have. We have the highest number of industries. So, if some people now want to spoil that name or give us bad name, we will not allow it. The truth is that as government, as security operatives, we need to get it right.”