The Presidency has sharply criticized Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for demanding a United Nations-led investigation into the recent mass abduction of students and teachers in his state.
Abuja dismissed the governor’s request as both “unnecessary” and “politically motivated.”
Persecondnews recalls that on Monday, Governor Makinde officially took custody of the 45 rescued victims (39 pupils and six teachers) who had spent 56 days in captivity.
While pledging to oversee their rehabilitation, welfare, and education, Makinde argued that Nigerians deserve a transparent, full account of the incident, calling for a UN-backed probe to get to the bottom of the security lapse.
The Presidency quickly pushed back through Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, arguing that Makinde’s demand suggests a total lack of confidence in Nigeria’s military and security agencies.
Onanuga insisted that security forces have already provided clear explanations regarding the details of the rescue operation.
Despite the sharp criticism, Onanuga added a somewhat contradictory caveat—stating that the Presidency does not actually object to an international review if the governor genuinely believes there are still unresolved issues.
On May 15, 2026, Persecondnews recalls, armed bandits raided three schools across the Yawota and Ahoro Esienle communities in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Onanuga stated: “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.”
He, however, questioned the basis for the governor’s demand, arguing that security agencies had no reason to deliberately subject Nigerians, especially children, to prolonged captivity.
According to him, the rescue operation came at a cost, with some security personnel, including members of the military and Amotekun, losing their lives while pursuing the abductors.
Onanuga said it was “unthinkable” that anyone would deliberately conspire to expose the victims to the 56-day ordeal, including the killing of a mathematics teacher during captivity.
“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 asked.
The presidential spokesman accused Makinde, who is a presidential aspirant, of allowing political considerations to influence his call for an international probe.
“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 added that the military and the Department of State Services had already disclosed what they knew about the incident, describing the governor’s demand as “unwarranted” and “absolutely unnecessary.”
He accused Makinde of attempting to politicise the matter, saying, “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.”
Makinde called on the UN and other international human rights and accountability bodies to investigate the abduction of the pupils and teachers in a video shared by Oyo Affairs on Monday following the arrival of the rescued pupils and teachers at the Oyo State Secretariat after their handover by the Federal Government.
“The circumstances surrounding this incident are sufficiently grave and unusual to warrant independent scrutiny beyond our domestic institution.
“I therefore, with a full sense of responsibility as the Executive Governor of Oyo State, call on the appropriate international human rights and accountability mechanisms, including those within the United Nations system, to closely examine the facts surrounding this abduction and the circumstances of its resolution,” Makinde said.
He explained that the call for international scrutiny was aimed at ensuring accountability rather than discrediting Nigerian institutions.
“Such scrutiny is not intended to undermine our institution. 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,” the governor said.
Makinde also reminded the Federal Government of its constitutional responsibility for national security.
“Under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the primary responsibility for national security rests with the Federal Government and the security agencies under its command,” he said.
He thanked President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the nation’s security agencies for their roles in securing the victims’ freedom.
“On behalf of the government and people of Oyo State, I sincerely thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his support and the leadership of all the security agencies for working together to secure the safe return of the teachers and pupils,” he said.
Describing the abduction as unprecedented in the state, Makinde said, “I have been governor for over seven years, and this is the first time we have experienced an incident like this. I sincerely pray it will be the last.”
“Although the school is privately owned, we will engage its management to ensure there is no disruption to the teachers’ careers or the education of the affected pupils. We will stand by you throughout this recovery period,” he said.
The governor added that the victims would remain under medical observation for another 24 to 48 hours before being reunited with their families.
“We want to ensure everyone is medically fit before discharge. On behalf of the people of Oyo State, we now officially take responsibility for the rescued teachers and pupils and will provide every support necessary for their full recovery,” he added.
After their handover to the state government, the schoolchildren and teachers arrived at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, on Monday evening.
Speaking with journalists after the handover following their rescue from captivity, one of the abductees and Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esienle, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, while narrating their ordeal, said they moved through forests at night, slept in fear, and watched the youngest children take the worst of the beatings.
She revealed that the bandits killed the mathematics teacher, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, to scare off security agents and to send a clear message to the government that they meant business.
“The reason the kidnappers killed one of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was to scare away the security agencies and to send a clear message to the government that they meant business,” she said.
Recounting how the victims navigated the forest after they were abducted, Mrs Alamu disclosed that it was a terrible experience to bear.
She said:“When we were taken, my car was used to convey us to a point. That was where we met the primary pupils and the teacher. So, we had to walk for about one hour. They brought bicycles and motorcycles about 10 of them, and we were all crammed together. We rode for about four hours through uncharted path but they knew their way.”
She expressed pessimism about going to the rural area to work after the horrifying kidnap incident.
Alamu said: “Going to the rural area now will take the grace of God. I have worked for 28 years and I have four years. With time, maybe I can get over it.
“But going that far distance between that place and Ogbomoso is far away, so I sacrificed a lot when it comes to transportation. Now coupled with this, I don’t know what will happen for now.”
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