‘Dialogue with them, save our lives’, kidnapped Oyo

The phrase “Dialogue with them, save our lives” was spoken by the families of students kidnapped in Oyo State, Nigeria, in April 2024. The victims—mostly secondary‑school pupils abducted by armed gunmen in the town of Ibadan—were released after the kidnappers agreed to a negotiated settlement. The families’ statement urged authorities to pursue dialogue with the kidnappers rather than a purely military response, arguing that negotiation was the only way to ensure the hostages’ safe return. Views Nigeria