…Calls Governor’s Claim ‘Crazy Theory’
…What Makinde’s Independent Probe Means
The rescue on Saturday of 44 pupils and teachers abducted from schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State brought relief to millions of Nigerians who had anxiously followed developments surrounding the victims’ fate.
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The victims, who were kidnapped on May 15, spent 56 days in captivity, enduring harsh conditions in remote forests and facing threats from both their abductors and the hostile environment.
The victims regained their freedom on July 10.
The tragedy claimed the lives of two teachers. One was reportedly shot during the attack, while another was beheaded in captivity, a gruesome act that shocked the nation and drew widespread condemnation.
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But even as celebrations continue over the safe return of the surviving victims, Governor Seyi Makinde has signalled that the matter is far from over.
In a televised broadcast on Monday, the governor made it clear that his administration intends to pursue a deeper examination of the circumstances surrounding the abduction, the prolonged captivity and the deaths recorded during the incident.
Central to his position is a call for an independent investigation, a move bound to generate political and public debate in the days and weeks ahead.
Makinde disclosed plans to engage relevant United Nations agencies, civil society organisations and independent humanitarian bodies in the effort to unravel the full details of the incident.
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The proposal has raised questions about the governor’s motivation and the implications of seeking an investigation beyond conventional security channels.
‘CRAZY THEORY’
Meanwhile, the presidency has dismissed Makinde’s call for the UN’s scrutiny of the incident.
Speaking with THE WHISTLER late Monday, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga described Makinde’s claim as a “crazy theory.”
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“What is our business with him? That is his opinion. The good thing is that those kids are out and the teachers are out, so whatever crazy theory he is reading into it, that is his own palava,” Onanuga told THE WHISTLER.
He questioned what the Bola Tinubu administration would gain by allowing children and teachers to be kidnapped and kept in captivity.
“But what will any government or anybody profit from subjecting the children and teachers to such trauma for days?” he queried.
“It will only take a very bad mind to be thinking the way he is thinking. The good thing is that those kids are out; the teachers are out; we lost one teacher, we lost soldiers, we lost Amotekun Corps and so on. So I think generally all over the country there is a huge relief that those kids, especially the kids and the teachers, are out.”
Onanuga added, “…if somebody is reading any conspiracy about that, it is only somebody who has a very dark mind.”
Makinde, who had welcomed the victims’ release, insisted that the circumstances surrounding the incident required an independent international probe.
“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.
“The circumstances surrounding this incident are sufficiently grave and unusual to warrant independent scrutiny beyond our domestic institutions.”
“I therefore, with a full sense of responsibility as the Executive Governor of Oyo State, call on the appropriate international human rights and accountability mechanisms, including those within the United Nations system, to closely examine the facts surrounding this abduction and the circumstances of its resolution.”
According to Makinde, “Such scrutiny is not intended to undermine our institution.”
“Rather, it is intended to reinforce public confidence that the truth will be established and that every person found to bear responsibility, regardless of office, influence, or affiliation, will be held accountable.”
The governor argued that because national security falls under the Federal Government, Nigerians deserved answers about the incident.
“Under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the primary responsibility for national security rests with the federal government and the security agencies under its command,” he said.
“The Nigerian people, therefore, deserve a full and transparent account of what happened, who was responsible, whether there were institutional failures, negligence, or collusion at any level, and what measures must now be taken to ensure that no community is ever subjected to such an ordeal again.”
“This is not about politics. It is about justice for the victims, reassurance for our people, and restoring public confidence that every Nigerian child can go to school without fear.”
The governor also announced plans to strengthen security around communities bordering the Old Oyo National Park by tightening oversight of access routes, improving community intelligence and increasing collaboration between local communities and security agencies to prevent similar attacks.
To some observers, Makinde’s decision to pursue an independent probe of the circumstances could be interpreted as a reflection of concerns about the ability of existing institutions to conduct a thorough and impartial inquiry into the incident.
Others, however, view the move through a political lens, given the governor’s opposition status and his often strained relationship with President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The political undertones surrounding the Oriire abduction have been evident since the incident occurred.
At the height of public outrage over the kidnapping, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, a supporter of the Tinubu administration, alleged that Makinde orchestrated the abduction to embarrass the Federal Government. The allegation was widely dismissed by many political observers as unfounded.
Makinde has consistently positioned himself as a critic of the Tinubu administration and has repeatedly declared that he would not support the President’s re-election bid in 2027. The governor’s political trajectory has also changed significantly in recent months.
Following the prolonged leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he exited the party and aligned with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), a platform from which he is expected to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Against this backdrop, critics argue that the call for an independent investigation could deepen existing political tensions between the Oyo governor and the Federal Government.
But Makinde’s supporters would argue that the governor’s position is rooted in accountability rather than politics. Before the rescue of the victims, the governor had strongly rejected attempts to hold him personally responsible for the abduction.
He argued that when hundreds of schoolgirls were abducted from Chibok, Borno State, in 2014, national attention focused primarily on then-President Goodluck Jonathan as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Makinde questioned why a different standard should apply in the Oriire case, insisting that responsibility for national security ultimately rests with the Federal Government.
Beyond the political exchanges, some analysts believe the governor’s proposal deserves serious consideration.
According to them, an independent inquiry could help answer lingering questions about the circumstances that enabled the abduction, the response of security agencies and the factors that prolonged the victims’ captivity.
They also argue that lessons from such an investigation could prove valuable in addressing Nigeria’s recurring kidnapping crisis.
Several mass abduction cases across the country remain unresolved, with hundreds of victims still reportedly held by criminal groups months after their disappearance.
For this group of observers, the significance of Makinde’s proposal lies not in partisan politics but in its potential contribution to understanding and preventing future tragedies.
As the nation reflects on the rescue of the Oriire pupils and teachers, attention is gradually shifting from celebration to accountability. Whether Makinde’s call for an independent investigation will gain national and international support remains uncertain.
What is clear, however, is that the governor has opened a new chapter in the conversation surrounding one of the country’s most disturbing recent kidnapping incidents.
The debate now is no longer solely about the rescue. It is increasingly about uncovering the full story behind the tragedy and determining what lessons can be learnt to prevent a recurrence.