Presidency, Makinde clash over UN probe into Oriire school abduction

The rescue of 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has sparked a fresh political disagreement between the Presidency and Governor Seyi Makinde, following the governor’s call for an independent international investigation into the circumstances surrounding the kidnapping and the victims’ prolonged captivity.

The victims, who were abducted by suspected Ansaru terrorists on May 15, 2026, regained their freedom on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity in remote parts of the Oyo National Forest. Their release followed a coordinated intelligence-led rescue operation involving multiple Nigerian security agencies.

Although Nigerians have welcomed the safe return of the victims, Governor Makinde has insisted that the rescue should not mark the end of the matter, arguing that the incident raises serious questions that deserve transparent answers.

In a statewide broadcast after receiving the rescued pupils and teachers, the governor announced plans to seek an independent investigation involving relevant United Nations agencies, international human rights organisations and other accountability bodies.

According to Makinde, the objective is not to undermine Nigeria’s security institutions but to establish the full truth behind the incident and restore public confidence in the country’s security architecture.

“The reunion of these children and teachers with their families does not mark the end of this painful chapter. It marks the beginning of another responsibility—our collective responsibility to establish the truth,” the governor said.

He maintained that because the responsibility for national security rests with the Federal Government under Nigeria’s Constitution, Nigerians deserve a comprehensive explanation of how dozens of schoolchildren and teachers were abducted, held for nearly two months and eventually rescued.

Makinde called for a transparent investigation into whether there were institutional failures, operational lapses, negligence or any form of collusion that may have contributed to the incident or prolonged the victims’ captivity.

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He also announced plans to strengthen security across communities bordering the Old Oyo National Park, including tighter surveillance of access routes, improved intelligence gathering and stronger collaboration between local communities and security agencies.

However, the Presidency strongly rejected the governor’s proposal, describing it as unnecessary and politically motivated.

Reacting to Makinde’s comments, the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the governor’s position as baseless.

Speaking on the controversy, Onanuga questioned what the Federal Government would gain by allowing innocent schoolchildren and teachers to remain in captivity.

“What will any government or anybody profit from subjecting the children and teachers to such trauma for days?” he asked.

The presidential spokesman said it would take “a very bad mind” to suggest any conspiracy surrounding the rescue operation, adding that the successful mission should instead be celebrated as a major achievement by Nigeria’s security agencies.

“If somebody is reading any conspiracy into that, it is only somebody who has a very dark mind,” Onanuga stated.

The Presidency reiterated that the rescue resulted from weeks of painstaking intelligence gathering and close collaboration among the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Air Force, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and other members of the Joint Interagency Task Force.

Security officials disclosed that investigators gradually dismantled the terrorists’ logistics network, monitored communication channels and cut off supply routes before successfully securing the victims’ release without a large-scale military assault that could have endangered their lives.

The operation, however, came at a heavy cost.

Among those who paid the supreme sacrifice was Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac, a Nigerian Army officer who was killed after his convoy struck an improvised explosive device during an earlier phase of the rescue mission.

The rescued victims have since narrated harrowing experiences in captivity, revealing that they survived mainly on cocoyam, noodles and water from a nearby stream, while children were beaten whenever they cried, male teachers were chained and blindfolded, and the group was repeatedly forced to embark on dangerous nighttime treks through thick forests whenever the kidnappers suspected security operatives were closing in.

Security analysts say the disagreement between the Oyo State Government and the Presidency reflects differing perspectives on accountability rather than the success of the rescue operation itself.

While some believe an independent inquiry could help identify security gaps, improve intelligence coordination and strengthen Nigeria’s response to future kidnapping incidents, others argue that existing constitutional institutions are capable of reviewing the operation without external involvement.

Political observers also note that the disagreement comes amid heightened political tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections, although both the Presidency and Governor Makinde have insisted their positions are driven by national interest rather than partisan considerations.

Meanwhile, the rescued pupils and teachers are receiving medical attention, trauma counselling and rehabilitation, while security agencies continue efforts to track down and prosecute all members of the terrorist network responsible for the abduction.

Presidency, Makinde clash over UN probe into Oriire school abduction