Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area took place just hours after he declared his intention to contest Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election.
Makinde made the remark while addressing Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and leaders of the Allied Peoples Movement during a meeting in Bauchi on Friday.
Reflecting on the incident, the governor said Oyo State had not experienced a similar school abduction throughout his seven years in office until the attack occurred in May.
“For seven years, we didn’t witness anything like this in Oyo State. I declared to run for the presidency of Nigeria at four o’clock, and by 9 a.m. the following morning, the children were abducted,” Makinde said.
The governor’s comments came hours after the Presidency announced the successful rescue of all the abducted pupils and teachers, who had spent 56 days in captivity.
According to the Presidency, the victims were freed during a coordinated operation involving the military, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.
The operation reportedly led to the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers, while several others were neutralised. The suspects are currently in DSS custody.
The Presidency also disclosed that no ransom was paid and no prisoner exchange took place, despite the kidnappers’ reported demand for the release of one of their detained leaders who is facing prosecution.
Reacting to the development, Makinde expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the military, the police, the DSS and other security agencies for securing the release of the victims.
“This is a big relief for the families of the victims and the people of Oyo State. The successful rescue has brought an end to weeks of anxiety following the abduction of the pupils and teachers,” the governor said.
President Tinubu also commended the security agencies for rescuing the victims without collateral damage and directed relevant emergency agencies to work with the Oyo State Government to provide medical care and other necessary support for the rescued pupils and teachers.
Makinde officially declared his 2027 presidential ambition on May 14 during a joint rally of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Allied Peoples Movement in Ibadan, where he pledged to “reset Nigeria.” He later emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement after being adopted as the party’s consensus candidate.
