ORIIRE SAGA: Don’t Politicise Abduction Of Our Children, Makinde Warns

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has strongly cautioned political actors and the public against the politicisation of the recent security breach in Oriire Local Government Area, where some nursery and primary school pupils alongside their teachers were abducted.

Speaking during an emotional assessment visit to the affected Ahoro-Esiele community on Saturday, the governor maintained that trading blames across political divides or government tiers at this critical moment would only distract from the primary objective of rescuing the innocent victims.

Addressing a gathering of distraught families, community leaders, and residents at the open field of L.A. Basic School, Makinde emphasized that the unfolding tragedy demands an absolute unity of purpose rather than political grandstanding. He stressed that all institutions must work as a collective front to navigate the crisis successfully.

“This is not the time to trade blame between the state government, the federal government, local governments or any other institution. This is a time for unity. Let us come together with one purpose: to rescue our children and their teachers safely,” the governor declared.

Describing the incident as both strange and unprecedented, Makinde observed that while the country has unfortunately witnessed the abduction of older secondary school students in the past, the deliberate targeting of nursery and primary school toddlers is a disturbing anomaly that requires careful, unpoliticized handling.

He further explained that because the administration is dealing with dangerous and unpredictable elements, certain operational details of the ongoing rescue mission cannot be thrown into the public space for political points, as doing so would directly jeopardize innocent lives. He, however, assured that security agencies are working round the clock, with high-level strategy reviews happening twice daily to ensure a positive outcome.

The governor’s plea for unity resonated deeply with the affected families who are currently living through the harrowing ordeal. Among them was Mrs. Funmilayo Ojo, who tearfully revealed that four of her grandchildren and her daughter-in-law are among those currently held captive in the forest.

Also speaking at the gathering, the Dean of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Iseyin Campus, Professor Wole Alamu—whose wife, the school principal, was also abducted—commended the governor’s prompt arrival on the ground. He appealed to all stakeholders to support the state’s unified approach and maintain focus until all the captives are safely reunited with their families.