The family of slain Oyo schoolteacher, Michael Oyedokun, has urged President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde to order an urgent search and recovery of his missing remains, after security forces rescued the pupils and teachers abducted from Community High School in the Oriire Local Government Area.

The bereaved family lamented that they could not bury the slain teacher or find closure until his body is recovered.

The family made the appeal in an open letter addressed to the President on Tuesday and jointly signed by members of the Oyedokun family.

While expressing gratitude to the Nigerian government and security agencies for rescuing the surviving pupils and teachers after nearly two months in captivity, the family said the operation remained incomplete because Oyedokun’s body has not been recovered.

According to the letter, the successful rescue of the victims restored hope to many families, but theirs continues to endure “unending pain” due to the inability to bury their loved ones.

“We sincerely thank Your Excellency for the efforts of the Federal Government, the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security and intelligence agencies whose dedication and sacrifice led to the successful rescue of the kidnapped victims in Oyo State,” the family said.

“The safe return of these victims has restored hope to their families and reaffirmed our confidence in the Government’s commitment to protecting the lives and liberty of its citizens. For this, we are deeply grateful.”

However, they said their grief remains unresolved because Oyedokun, who died while in captivity, has not been returned home for burial.

“Our beloved relative, Mr. Michael Olugbade Oyedokun, tragically lost his life while in captivity. Although the rescue operation was successful, his remains have yet to be recovered and returned to us for a dignified burial in accordance with our faith, traditions, and values,” the grieving family noted.

“The absence of his body has prolonged our grief and denied our family the closure that every human being deserves. We continue to live with the pain of not knowing where he rests, unable to perform the final rites that would honour his memory and bring peace to our hearts.”

The family urged President Tinubu and Governor Makinde to direct the relevant security agencies to intensify efforts to locate the slain teacher’s remains.

“Your Excellency, we respectfully appeal that you direct the relevant security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and recover the remains of Mr. Michael Olugbade Oyedokun,” the family said.

“We are confident that the same resolve which secured the freedom of the surviving victims can also ensure that his body is returned to his family.

“Recovering his remains is more than a humanitarian act; it is a solemn obligation that reflects the dignity of every Nigerian life. It would demonstrate that no citizen is forgotten, abandoned, or denied dignity, even in death,” the family noted.

“We earnestly hope this appeal will receive your compassionate and urgent consideration, so that we may finally lay our beloved husband, father, brother, and son to rest with the honour and dignity he deserves, and begin the difficult journey toward healing.”

England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina has been classified as the tournament’s highest-risk fixture, prompting heightened security measures involving the FBI, FIFA and local law enforcement.

Officials from the FBI, FIFA and police met on Monday to assess potential security threats surrounding Wednesday night’s clash in Atlanta, with particular attention given to the long-standing rivalry between the two nations and the possibility of tensions spilling over among supporters.

To reduce the risk of clashes, fans from both countries will enter the Mercedes-Benz Stadium through separate gates. However, there will be no segregation once inside the venue, with supporters seated together—a feature that has been common throughout the tournament due in part to the widespread use of ticket resale platforms.

While organisers have made efforts to keep rival fans apart, officials acknowledge there is little they can do once spectators have entered the stadium and taken their seats.

The rivalry between England and Argentina extends beyond football. Earlier this week, Argentina’s foreign minister reiterated the country’s claim over the Falkland Islands, a position that was quickly rejected by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Relations between the two nations remain shaped by the 1982 Falklands War, which claimed 907 lives after Argentina invaded the islands before Britain regained control.

The issue has occasionally resurfaced during the tournament, with Argentina’s players repeatedly chanting songs referencing the Falklands after matches. However, Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has attempted to steer attention back to football.

“The message to the Argentine people is that this is a soccer match. We’re going to face a great team with a great coach, but it is just a soccer match, nothing more than that.”

Security has also been strengthened around both teams’ hotels, with a heavy police presence visible throughout Atlanta, particularly around the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Ahead of the semi-final, the Atlanta Police Department confirmed that additional resources had been deployed across the city.

“As Atlanta prepares to host an upcoming FIFA World Cup semi-final match and welcomes increased numbers of residents and visitors, the Atlanta Police Department has enhanced its citywide public safety and security posture.

“Additional personnel and resources are already deployed and will continue to be strategically assigned in and around the event venues, entertainment districts, and other high-traffic areas to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone. These proactive measures are designed to protect the public, deter criminal activity, and ensure residents and visitors can safely enjoy this historic event.”

Plans for a 64-team men’s World Cup are set to be assessed after the 2026 tournament, with Fifa boss Gianni Infantino saying the event needs to be “for the whole world”.

The proposal for an expanded tournament was put forward last year, and Infantino says the success of the expanded 48-team tournament means Fifa should look at how a 64-team World Cup could work.

“These are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup,” Infantino told Swiss broadcaster Blue Sport, external when asked if the tournament could grow to 64 teams.

“When organising a World Cup, it’s important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world. Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup.

“You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it’s getting higher and higher, all over the world. If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.”

Infantino said that the first 48-team World Cup has been “a huge success”, citing the progression of nine out of 10 African teams to the knockout stages.

“At the last World Cup, there were only five teams from Africa,” he said. “That just goes to show how important it is to include all teams – to give them this opportunity to participate.”

The Fifa council approved the expansion of the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams in 2017.

An official proposal to boost the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams was put forward by South American governing body Conmebol in April 2025, but no decision has been reached.

The 2030 edition will be mainly co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with the three opening matches to be hosted by Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to celebrate the centenary of the competition. Uruguay hosted the first World Cup, in 1930.

Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin is among those to have dismissed the 64-team proposal, with the Slovenian saying it is a “bad idea” for both the tournament itself and the qualifying process.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa agreed, saying further expansion would bring “chaos”.

Victor Montagliani, president of the governing body for football in North and Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), said the suggestion “doesn’t feel right” and he believes the expansion would damage “the broader football ecosystem”.

However, Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House’s World Cup task force, said the United States could consider making a bid to host the 2038 World Cup and would be able to “handle it” if expanded to 64 teams.

Fifa’s official position has always been it will discuss expansion ideas with stakeholders and it is duty bound to consider any proposals from council members.

The Fifa council would make the ultimate decision, but there are no signs it is something expected to happen imminently.