Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has said the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area occurred less than 24 hours after he declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking on Friday during a meeting with Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and leaders of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Bauchi, Makinde recalled that Oyo State had not experienced a similar kidnapping incident throughout his seven years in office until the May 15 attack.
“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,” the governor said.
Makinde’s remarks came hours after the Presidency announced the rescue of all the abducted pupils and teachers, who spent 56 days in captivity after gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
According to the Presidency, the victims were rescued during a coordinated operation involving the military, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.
The Presidency also disclosed that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested and are currently in DSS custody, while several others were neutralised during the operation.
It said the rescue was carried out without negotiations or concessions to the abductors, despite their demand for the release of one of their detained kingpins, who remains in custody and is facing prosecution.
Reacting to the development, Makinde described the rescue as “a big relief” for the families of the victims and the people of Oyo State, saying it brought an end to weeks of anxiety.
The governor expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the military, the police, the DSS and other security agencies for their roles in securing the safe return of the victims.
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, psychosocial support and other necessary assistance to the rescued pupils and teachers.
Makinde declared his presidential ambition on May 14 during a joint rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples Movement in Ibadan, where he pledged to “reset Nigeria.” He subsequently emerged as the APM’s consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
