The Presidency and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde have clashed over the governor’s call for a United Nations-led investigation into the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, with the Federal Government describing the request as unnecessary and politically motivated.
Governor Makinde made the appeal on Monday while officially receiving the 45 pupils and teachers rescued after spending 56 days in captivity. He said Nigerians deserved a transparent account of how the abduction occurred and the circumstances surrounding the rescue operation.
The victims, made up of 39 pupils and six teachers, were abducted on May 15, 2026, when armed bandits attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro Esienle communities of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. They were rescued after nearly two months in captivity and handed over to the state government by the Federal Government.
Reacting to the governor’s request, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the military and other security agencies had already explained the rescue operation, insisting there was no need for an international investigation.
According to Onanuga, the Federal Government has nothing to hide and would not oppose any review by the United Nations if it decides to examine the incident.
“The Governor has 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 questioned the basis for the governor’s demand, stressing that no security agency would deliberately allow children and teachers to remain in captivity for 56 days. He added that soldiers and members of the Amotekun Corps lost their lives during efforts to rescue the victims, describing allegations of official complicity as unfounded.
Onanuga also accused Makinde, who has declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, of allowing politics to influence his position.
“It is unfortunate that Mr Makinde, perhaps because of politics and his presidential ambition, does not have confidence in our institutions and is now calling on an external body to investigate,” he said.
The presidential aide described the governor’s demand as unwarranted and accused him of politicising a sensitive national security issue.
Responding, Makinde maintained that his call was not intended to discredit Nigeria’s security institutions but to strengthen public confidence through an independent review of the incident.
The governor argued that the circumstances surrounding the abduction warranted international scrutiny, adding that Nigerians deserved to know whether institutional failures, negligence or collusion contributed to the incident.
He further stated that the Federal Government bears the constitutional responsibility for national security and insisted that anyone found culpable, regardless of status, should be held accountable.
According to Makinde, an independent investigation is necessary to deliver justice for the victims, restore public confidence and ensure that no Nigerian child experiences a similar ordeal again.
