Agency Report
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde’s call on the United Nations and other international human rights and accountability bodies to examine the circumstances surrounding the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area has sparked fears in some quarters.
Makinde made the call on Monday in a statewide broadcast hours after the Nigerian military formally handed over the rescued pupils and teachers to the state government following their release after spending 56 days in captivity.
Rattled by Governor’s call, the Presidency described it as unnecessary and politically motivated while and the Senate voted against the call.
Mr Makinde said while the victims had regained their freedom, the circumstances surrounding the incident were “sufficiently grave and unusual” to warrant an independent review.
“The reunion of these children and teachers with their families does not mark the end of this painful chapter. It marks the beginning of another responsibility, and our collective responsibility to establish the truth,” Mr Makinde said.
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He, however, called on the “international human rights and accountability mechanisms, including those within the United Nations system,” to closely examine the facts surrounding the abduction and the circumstances of its resolution.
According to the governor, such international scrutiny would strengthen, rather than undermine, public confidence in Nigeria’s institutions.
“Such scrutiny is not intended to undermine our institutions. Rather, it is intended to reinforce public confidence that the truth will be established and that every person found to bear responsibility, regardless of office, influence or affiliation, will be held accountable under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Nigeria deserves transparent account on victims’ 56-day hostage crisis
Mr Makinde noted that while responsibility for national security rests with the federal government and security agencies under its control, Nigerians deserve a transparent account of what transpired during the 56-day hostage crisis.
“The Nigerian people deserve a full and transparent account of what happened, who was responsible, whether there were institutional failures, negligence or collusion at any level, and what measures must now be taken to ensure that no community is ever subjected to such an ordeal again,” he said.
He insisted that the demand was “not about politics” but about justice for the victims and restoring public confidence in the country’s security architecture.
“This is not about politics; it is about justice for the victims, reassurance for our people, and restoring public confidence that every Nigerian child can go to school without fear,” the governor said.
However, the governor paid tributes to those who lost their lives during the abduction and rescue operation, including teachers Joel Adesiyan, John-Olaleye, and Michael Oyedokun, whose execution was captured in a viral video released by the abductors, as well as soldiers, hunters and Amotekun personnel killed during the rescue efforts.
“Security is everyone’s responsibility,” he said, urging residents to make use of the state’s emergency line whenever necessary.
The governor also announced plans to strengthen security around communities bordering the Old Oyo National Park, which investigators believe served as a hideout for the kidnappers.
Recall that the 39 schoolchildren and teachers were abducted on 15 May after gunmen invaded Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele; Primary School, Esiele; and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area.
Presidency, Senate Uncomfortable About the Call
The Presidency on Monday knocked Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over his call for a United Nations-led probe into the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, describing the demand as unnecessary and politically motivated.
Special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga in an interview, said the federal government had no objection to an international investigation if Makinde believed there were unresolved issues.
“The governor has just expressed his opinion that the UN should probe this incident. Our doors are open. Let the UN come if he thinks there is more to it than what our military has explained,” Onanuga said.
He, however, questioned the rationale behind the governor’s demand, arguing that no security agency would deliberately allow schoolchildren to remain in captivity for 56 days.
“Look at those kids. Some of them are just about four or six years old. Will anyone want to deliberately subject them to the trauma they went through for 56 days?” he told The Punch.
According to Onanuga, the rescue operation came at a heavy cost, with some security personnel, including soldiers and members of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, losing their lives during efforts to rescue the victims.
He also noted that one of the abducted teachers was killed while in captivity, insisting it was “unthinkable” that anyone would deliberately orchestrate such an ordeal.
The presidential spokesman accused Makinde, whom he described as a presidential aspirant, of allowing politics to influence his position.
“It is just unfortunate that Mr Makinde, maybe because of politics, because he is a presidential candidate now, doesn’t have any trust in our own institutions and is now calling on an external body to come and investigate,” he said.
Onanuga further described the governor’s demand as “absolutely unnecessary,” accusing him of attempting to weaponise the incident for political purposes.
“The man is just playing politics, and it is the politics of the bizarre. He wants to weaponise anything available, including dredging up a strange conspiracy theory,” he added.
The Nigerian Senate has blasted the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for calling for a United Nations-led probe into the abduction of pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
Speaking at the plenary on Tuesday, July 14, the Senate asked the governor to stop trivialising a very serious and traumatic matter.
Speaking during Senate plenary today, Senator Adams Oshiomole described Governor Makinde’s demand for UN investigation as “not statesmanly and politics taken too far”.
The former Edo governor urged the Senate to call on Makinde to desist from “trivialising” the rescue operation by seeking an international investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abduction and rescue.
Thereafter, the Senators unanimously voted to condemn Gov Makinde’s call.
