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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has assured residents that authorities are intensifying efforts to secure the release of abducted pupils and teachers from Ogbomoso, urging Nigerians to remain united and avoid politicising the rescue operation.
Makinde gave the assurance on Tuesday in Ibadan while addressing protesters, including members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and other stakeholders who staged a solidarity rally for the victims.
The protests followed growing outrage over the continued captivity of the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area, a development that has also triggered an ongoing teachers’ strike in Oyo State.
Appealing for calm, the governor said the crisis demands collective action rather than blame-shifting among different tiers of government.
“This is not the time to say it is the president, the governor or the local government that should handle it. This is a moment for all of us to stand together,” Makinde said.
Describing the abductors as ruthless and dangerous, the governor said the government was confronting individuals who had shown complete disregard for human life.
“We are not dealing with normal human beings. Anyone who can abduct and slaughter fellow citizens is clearly not acting with humanity,” he added.
Makinde urged teachers, students and residents to maintain confidence in government efforts, disclosing that federal security teams had remained actively involved in rescue operations over the past two weeks.
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According to him, he has maintained close and continuous engagement with security agencies, holding several meetings daily to review developments and strengthen response strategies.
“We are doing everything within our capacity. Security operatives from the federal government have stayed back throughout the period, including during Sallah. I have met with them repeatedly, morning, night and sometimes several times in a day,” he said.
The governor warned against actions capable of fuelling division or weakening ongoing rescue efforts, insisting that unity remained critical to bringing the victims home safely.
“We must not give room to those who want to exploit this tragedy to divide us. The responsibility before us is to work together and allow government efforts to succeed,” he said.
Makinde also assured families of the abducted victims that authorities would not abandon the search, expressing confidence that the children and their teachers would regain their freedom.
The abduction, which occurred on May 15 across schools in Oriire LGA, claimed the lives of an assistant headmaster and a motorcyclist during the attack. Days later, one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly killed by the kidnappers, further deepening national outrage.
The crisis has drawn intervention from both state and federal authorities. While Makinde recently visited affected families, a federal delegation led by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, also visited Ogbomoso. President Bola Tinubu has since ordered the deployment of a specialised security unit to support rescue operations.
