Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has said the recent abduction in Oriire Local Government Area occurred shortly after he declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Friday during a meeting with Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and leaders of the Allied Peoples Movement in Bauchi, Makinde recalled that Oyo had not recorded a similar incident in his seven years in office before the May 15 attack.
“For seven years, we didn’t witness anything like this in Oyo State. I declared to run for the presidency of Nigeria at 4 o’clock, and by 9 a.m. the following morning, the children were taken away,” the governor said.
Hours after Makinde’s remarks, the Presidency announced that all the pupils and teachers abducted from Oriire had been safely reunited with their families after spending 56 days in captivity.
According to the Presidency, the rescue was carried out through a joint operation involving the military, the Department of State Services, DSS, and the police.
Eight suspected kidnappers were taken into custody and are currently being held by the DSS. The Presidency added that several other suspects sustained gunshot injuries during the operation, while others fled the scene.
