Oyo Abduction: I was accused of ochestrating Oriire school kidnap – Gov Makinde

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Friday disclosed how he was accused of orchestrating the Oriire school abduction.

Makinde said the decision to constitute a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the abduction of students and teachers in Esiele and Yawata communities of Oriire Local Government Area was was to dismiss the allegations that he was behind the abduction.

The governor spoke during the inauguration of the commission at the Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

He noted that the panel would independently investigate the circumstances surrounding the May 15, 2026 abduction, identify institutional and operational failures, and recommend measures to prevent a recurrence.

“They said I orchestrated the kidnap. The abduction of innocent children and their teachers was not merely an attack on the Ahoro, Esiele and Yawata communities, it was an attack on the right of every Nigerian child to learn in safety and on the confidence of every parent who sends a child to school each day.

“We remain grateful for the safe return of the victims, yet our duty did not end with their rescue. Rescue, of course, brings relief. We are all relieved.”

“But truth brings closure. Accountability and reform restore public confidence and help prevent a recurrence. And because justice is not only about punishing wrongdoing, it is about learning enough to ensure that the innocent are never again placed in harm’s way,” he said.