Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has called for a transparent investigation into the recent kidnapping of pupils and teachers in the state, saying Nigerians deserve to know what happened, who was responsible, and whether there were institutional failures.
“This is not about politics. It is about justice for the victims, reassurance for our people, and restoring public confidence that every Nigerian child can go to school without fear,” Makinde said.
The governor announced that the Oyo State Government has assumed responsibility for the welfare of the rescued pupils and teachers.
He said they will receive medical treatment, psychological care, and educational support until they fully recover.
“We want to ensure everyone is medically fit before discharge. On behalf of the people of Oyo State, we now officially take responsibility for the rescued teachers and pupils and will provide every support necessary for their full recovery,” he said.
Makinde added that although the school is privately owned, the government will engage its management to prevent any disruption to the careers of the teachers or the education of the pupils.
“We will stand by you throughout this recovery period,” he assured.
He also expressed gratitude to the President and security agencies.
“On behalf of the government and people of Oyo State, I sincerely thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his support and the leadership of all the security agencies for working together to secure the safe return of the teachers and pupils,” he said.
“I have been governor for over seven years, and this is the first time we have experienced an incident like this. I sincerely pray it will be the last.”
The General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, said the rescue followed weeks of coordinated operations involving the Army, Police, DSS, Amotekun, local vigilantes and other security agencies.
He disclosed that some security personnel lost their lives during the operation.
One of the rescued victims, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esienle, described the trauma of captivity.
She said the kidnappers killed a mathematics teacher, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, “to scare away the security agencies and to send a clear message to the government that they meant business.”
Mrs. Alamu narrated how the abductors moved the group through forests.
“When we were taken, my car was used to convey us to a point. That was where we met the primary pupils and the teacher. So, we had to walk for about one hour. They brought bicycles and motorcycles, about 10 of them, and we were all crammed together. We rode for about four hours through uncharted paths but they knew their way.”
She added that the experience has made her apprehensive about returning to rural postings.
“Going to the rural area now will take the grace of God. I have worked for 28 years and I have four years left. With time, maybe I can get over it. But going that far distance between that place and Ogbomoso is far, so I sacrificed a lot when it comes to transportation. Now coupled with this, I don’t know what will happen for now.”
The demand for a transparent account has drawn political reactions. The Nigeria Democratic Congress, APGA, SDP and YPP backed an independent investigation to determine if there was negligence or collusion at any level, and to recommend measures to prevent a repeat.
The Labour Party, however, opposed involving the United Nations, insisting that Nigeria’s security agencies should handle the matter.
The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, also visited the rescued victims and commended the military and other security agencies for securing their release.
Governor Makinde said the goal of the probe must be clear: to ensure “that no community is ever subjected to such an ordeal again.”
