Presidency Faults Makinde’s Call for UN Probe into Oriire School Abduction
The Presidency has criticised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over his call for a United Nations-led investigation into the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the request as unnecessary and politically driven.
Governor Makinde made the appeal on Monday while receiving the rescued teachers and pupils in Ibadan after their release from 56 days in captivity. He argued that the circumstances surrounding the May 15 abduction warranted an independent international investigation to establish the facts and strengthen public confidence.
Responding to the governor’s position, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the Federal Government had no objection to any international scrutiny but questioned the rationale behind the demand. According to him, Nigeria’s security agencies had already provided accounts of the rescue operation, while the military, police and other operatives paid a heavy price in securing the victims’ freedom.
Onanuga said it was unfair to suggest that security agencies would deliberately allow schoolchildren and teachers to remain in captivity, noting that security personnel lost their lives during the rescue mission. He also accused the governor, a presidential aspirant, of allowing politics to influence his comments.
Despite the criticism, Makinde maintained that his call was not intended to undermine Nigerian institutions but to ensure accountability and reassure Nigerians. He said the victims and the public deserved a transparent account of the circumstances surrounding the abduction and the rescue operation, including whether there were any institutional failures or negligence.
The governor also reminded the Federal Government that responsibility for national security rests with the Federal Government under the Constitution, stressing that every Nigerian child should be able to attend school without fear.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government has officially assumed responsibility for the welfare of the rescued pupils and teachers. Makinde announced that the victims would receive comprehensive medical care, psychological support and educational assistance until they fully recover, while assuring that the state would work with the management of the affected private school to prevent disruption to the education of the pupils and the careers of the teachers.
Earlier, the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, said the successful rescue was the result of sustained collaboration among the military, police, the Department of State Services, Amotekun Corps, local vigilantes and other security agencies. He disclosed that the operation, conducted under difficult forest conditions, claimed the lives of two soldiers, while others sustained injuries before the victims were eventually rescued.
The rescued teachers and pupils were later taken to the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, for further medical evaluation and treatment before being reunited with their families.