•Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State
The Oyo State government has called for public memoranda to assist the Judicial Commission of Inquiry investigating the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Oyo State government on its official handle today.
The government said the commission was seeking relevant information on the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Esinele and Yawota communities, as well as the security response before, during and after the incident.
“The Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Oriire abduction is calling for public memoranda,” the statement said.
It added that the deadline for submission of the memoranda was Friday, August 14, 2026.
The government urged members of the public with relevant information about the incident to come forward, noting that their submissions could assist the commission in its investigation.
According to the statement, memoranda should include the full name and contact details of the contributor, as well as any supporting documents relevant to the submission.
The government said interested members of the public could submit their memoranda physically at the Conference Room, Office of the Head of Service, State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
It also provided an electronic channel for submissions through oysjceoriireabduction@gmail.com.
The statement urged members of the public with relevant information to make their submissions before the deadline.
The abduction of the schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire sparked widespread concern in the state, with security agencies later launching operations that led to their release.
The state government said the inquiry was part of efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and examine the security response to it.
“The Oyo State government remains committed to the safety of every community,” the statement added.
The Commission is seeking information concerning the abduction of pupils, students and teachers from communities including Esinele and Yawota, as well as the security response before, during and after the incident.
The abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, including Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and L.A. Primary School. The attack led to the abduction of 39 students and seven teachers.
After spending 56 days in captivity, the abducted pupils and teachers were eventually rescued in July.
The development was announced by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who said the victims had been rescued by security agencies without any concession being made to the abductors.
Following their release, Governor Seyi Makinde called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abduction, saying the incident was grave enough to warrant scrutiny beyond domestic institutions.
