We’ll Rescue Abducted Oyo Schoolchildren, Teachers— Governor Makinde Assures Protesters

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has assured residents that the schoolchildren, teachers and principal abducted by gunmen in the state will be rescued alive, revealing that the government is currently in contact with the kidnappers as part of ongoing efforts to secure their release.

The governor gave the assurance on Tuesday while addressing protesters in Ibadan, the state capital. Among those at the demonstration was social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, who joined calls for urgent action to secure the freedom of the victims.

Makinde said the state government had been compelled to adopt unconventional measures because of the sensitive nature of the abduction, which involved nursery and primary school pupils.

According to him, authorities remain hopeful that the victims are alive, stressing that there is no intelligence indicating that any of the children or their teachers have died in captivity, apart from the teacher who was reportedly killed by the abductors and whose death was captured in a disturbing video circulated online.

“Because of the nature of the security situation at this moment, I cannot divulge a lot of information. But I can tell you that there's no information that any of those children or their teachers have died. That's certain,” the governor said.

He explained that the operation to secure the release of the victims required exceptional caution because of the age and vulnerability of the children involved.

“This is the first time they've done it to nursery and primary schoolchildren. These are children that cannot even run or do anything for themselves. So the operation to rescue them is a special type of operation if we don't want to lose any of those children,” he added.

Makinde also highlighted the limitations faced by state governments in handling security matters, noting that critical decisions involving federal security agencies such as the police and military are subject to approvals from their respective command structures.

“Go to XYZ, he will need to get approval from the Inspector General of Police. The same thing with the military,” he said.

The governor recalled that security had remained a major priority of his administration since assuming office, citing the establishment of the Oyo State Security Network Agency, popularly known as Amotekun, as part of efforts to strengthen local security architecture.

“Security was one of the cardinal principles of this administration. That's why we set up Amotekun. Amotekun has not been armed adequately, but that is our reality,” he stated.

Expressing sympathy for the families of the abducted children, Makinde said he understood their pain and frustration, particularly as the victims had now spent more than a month in captivity.

“I am also distressed because I have children of my own. I'm also distressed with what has happened to our children, and it has been one month,” he said.

The governor reiterated his commitment to ensuring the safe return of the victims, disclosing that communication channels with the abductors remained open.

“I give you the assurance that I, as the governor of Oyo State, by God's grace, we will bring out those our children. They are talking to us,” he said.

While acknowledging that negotiating with criminals was not his preferred approach, Makinde argued that extraordinary circumstances required difficult decisions.

“It’s not something I would normally do. If government starts negotiating with bandits, it means we're surrendering sovereignty to the bandits. But in this special situation, if we want those children alive, we have to bend backwards,” he stated.

He further assured residents that once the victims regain their freedom, the state would implement stronger security measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

“But once the children are out, I give you the assurance that it will not occur again in Oyo State,” he pledged.

Responding to concerns raised by VeryDarkMan, who referenced the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, Makinde insisted that the Oyo situation would not be allowed to spiral into a similar tragedy.

“Oyo State is not Chibok. We will do everything humanly possible to bring our children back,” the governor declared.

Makinde also lamented the broader consequences of insecurity on education, farming activities and economic development, noting that entire communities had been disrupted by the incident.

“In an atmosphere of insecurity, hardly can you do anything. We have to close down the schools. The farmers in those neighbourhoods have all left the farm, and we're talking about food security. So that is our situation,” he said.

The governor concluded by commending the protesters for conducting themselves peacefully and urged them to sustain their orderly approach.

“We've been monitoring you since you started this morning. You have not destroyed anything. You have gone about the protest in a civilized manner. Please, let us maintain it that way,” he appealed.