•Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and some of the abductees
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, yesterday, declared his preparedness to make any sacrifice, including risking his own life, to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by gunmen in Oriire Local Council of the state.
The governor made the declaration while addressing a group of peaceful protesters led by activist and social commentator, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), at his Ikolaba residence in Ibadan, reports The Guardian.
This was as Ondo State Government inaugurated a 17-man steering committee for the Safe Schools Programme, a federal initiative designed to protect students and educators from attacks, kidnapping and hazards across educational institutions in the state.
However, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has dissociated from suspects arrested in connection with the abduction of three relatives of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, even as it called on security agencies to deploy the same urgency that secured the victims’ release towards rescuing the abducted pupils and teachers of Oriire Elementary School in Ogbomoso, Oyo State.
Makinde, who acknowledged the concerns raised by the protesters over the continued captivity of the victims, said his administration was deploying every available resource to ensure their safe return, while maintaining that ongoing security operations were being carefully coordinated to minimise casualties.
He noted that, based on intelligence available to the government, no additional casualty had been recorded among the abductees after the reported killing of a Mathematics teacher in captivity.
The governor said although he could not disclose details of the ongoing rescue efforts, for security reasons, the state government remained committed to exhausting all lawful means to secure the freedom of the victims.
“We will do everything humanly possible to bring our children back. I am not someone who leads from the back,” Makinde said.
“Because of the nature of the security situation, I cannot divulge much information. We are doing everything possible, including some of the suggestions you have made. We have already lost a teacher, and if we can avoid losing more people, we will do so.
“But, if we get to a point where certain people have to be sacrificed, including myself, we will do it.”
Makinde commended the protesters for conducting themselves peacefully, noting that civic engagement and public advocacy often help to draw attention to critical issues and encourage swift responses from authorities.”
He, however, pointed to the establishment of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, as part of efforts by his administration to strengthen local security architecture and complement the work of conventional security agencies.
The committee, unveiled at the Ondo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology’s Conference Hall, brought together a multi-agency coalition including the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Amotekun Corps, religious and traditional rulers, and the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
The move, according to the government, became imperative following the growing security crisis threatening the future of education.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, who serves as the committee’s chairman, charged members to provide direction and enhance coordination among stakeholders.
Ajibefun emphasised that the committee was specifically inaugurated to fulfil responsibilities aimed at strengthening mechanisms to prevent security threats in educational institutions.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Akindele Ige, who also serves as the committee’s secretary, stated that the establishment of the committee was a direct response to the growing security threats targeting schools in the state.
OPC, yesterday, insisted that none of those arrested over the Adelabu family kidnapping were its members, stressing that the organisation remained committed to assisting security agencies in combating crime across the South-West.
In a statement issued in Lagos by its President, Wasiu Afolabi, popularly known as Askari, the OPC commended the NPF for the swift rescue of Adelabu’s sister and her sons, saying the operation demonstrated that criminals could be tracked and apprehended when security agencies act decisively.
However, Afolabi expressed concern that nearly one month after 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted from Oriire Local Council, they remained in captivity.
According to him, the continued detention of the schoolchildren by their abductors is creating anxiety across Yorubaland and raising questions about the capacity of authorities to protect vulnerable citizens.
“The speed with which the Adelabu family case was resolved shows that there is no hiding place for criminals. We urge security agencies to demonstrate similar commitment towards securing the release of the abducted pupils and teachers in Ogbomoso,” he said.
He said anyone arrested while claiming membership of the OPC should be regarded as an impersonator and made to face the full weight of the law.
“OPC has no association whatsoever with those arrested over the Adelabu family kidnapping. They are not our members. Any criminal who parades himself as an OPC member is an impostor,” he stated.
The National President of Egbe Omo Yoruba North America, Dr Ayodeji Famuyide, lamented that the children remained in captivity almost one month after their abduction, describing the situation as unacceptable and distressing.
Speaking with our correspondent, Famuyide said the incident exposed serious weaknesses in security coordination and governance, while deepening public frustration over the inability of authorities to prevent recurring attacks on schools and communities.
Also, the Centre for Social Justice and Public Protection (CSJPP) described the continued captivity of the schoolchildren as a national tragedy and a damning indictment of Nigeria’s security architecture.
The organisation’s spokesperson, Akin Akanji, said every additional day the pupils and their teachers spend in captivity represents a failure of the government to fulfil its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property.
