Fayose Alleges Oyo School Kidnapping Was Planned to Discredit Tinubu

Fayose Alleges Oyo School Kidnapping Was Planned to Discredit Tinubu

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has ignited fresh political controversy after alleging that the recent Oyo school abduction may have been orchestrated to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Fayose made the claim during a television interview while reacting to the security situation in Oyo State and the response of Governor Seyi Makinde’s government to the mass kidnapping of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.

The former governor argued that while the Federal Government has a role in addressing insecurity, state governments also bear significant responsibility for protecting residents and responding swiftly to security threats within their jurisdictions. According to him, state governments receive security votes and maintain structures intended to tackle emergencies before they escalate into national crises.

“Before you get to the president in the hierarchy of leadership and governance, there is local government, there is state, state has security votes and there are people that are supposed to be working,” Fayose said.

Fayose further criticized Governor Makinde’s handling of the crisis, claiming the governor prioritized political activities while families of the abducted victims awaited government intervention. He alleged that the governor focused on political nominations and party engagements before visiting affected families and communities.

“The Governor of Oyo State had his nomination and that of his candidates in the face of this abduction. He did not take any action. It was after those nominations that he went to the families,” Fayose stated.

The former Ekiti governor then made his most controversial allegation, suggesting that the kidnapping could have been manipulated for political purposes.

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“I sometimes believe that the Oyo school abduction was orchestrated by the Oyo State Government to blackmail President Tinubu,” he said, while admitting that he could be mistaken.

The Oyo school kidnapping occurred on May 15, 2026, when heavily armed gunmen reportedly invaded schools in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area. The attackers abducted dozens of pupils and teachers from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, sparking widespread outrage across Nigeria.

The incident triggered concerns about the safety of schools and renewed calls for stronger measures to tackle kidnapping in Oyo State and other parts of the country. Parents, civil society groups and labour unions subsequently demanded urgent government action to secure the release of the victims.

Following the abduction, President Bola Tinubu directed security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and ensure the safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers. The President also dispatched a high-level Federal Government delegation to the affected communities and approved the deployment of specialized rescue teams to support ongoing operations.

Tinubu assured residents that the Federal Government would deploy all available lawful resources to rescue the victims and improve security in vulnerable communities. In addition, plans were announced for the recruitment of forest guards to strengthen surveillance and security operations in affected areas.

Before Fayose’s comments, Governor Seyi Makinde had disclosed that Oyo State acquired surveillance aircraft aimed at improving intelligence gathering and combating banditry, kidnapping and other security threats. The governor also reiterated his position that states require greater control over security architecture to effectively address growing security challenges.

Despite the seriousness of the allegation, Fayose did not provide any evidence to support his claim that the Oyo school abduction was orchestrated by the state government. As of the time of filing this report, neither Governor Makinde nor the Oyo State Government had issued an official response to Fayose’s remarks.

The allegation has, however, generated intense political debate, with supporters and critics of both leaders expressing differing views on the matter. Political observers have called for caution, stressing that the priority should remain the safe rescue of all abducted pupils and teachers while security agencies continue investigations into the incident.

Fayose Alleges Oyo School Kidnapping Was Planned to Discredit Tinubu