Makinde Rejects Negotiation With Abductors, Vows To Rescue Pupils, Teachers

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IBADAN – Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Tuesday, reject­ed negotiation with kidnap­pers, vowing to rescue the Ogbomoso schoolchildren and teachers.

He also assured resi­dents that his administra­tion would not surrender to bandits, declaring that the state would do everything within its powers to secure the release of the pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The governor gave the assurance while address­ing peaceful protesters led by social commentator and activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), at his private residence in Ikolaba, Ibadan.

Makinde stated that his government remained com­mitted to the safe rescue of the victims and would spare no effort in achieving that objective.

“We will not surrender to bandits. Oyo is not Chi­bok and will never be,” the governor said, referring to the 2014 mass abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok, Bor­no State, that still remain in captivity.

He disclosed that intelli­gence reports available to the government and secu­rity agencies indicated that no additional casualties had been recorded among the ab­ductees following the report­ed killing of a Mathematics teacher after the incident.

According to him, secu­rity agencies are carefully coordinating rescue opera­tions to ensure the victims are freed without further loss of life.

“The safety of the ab­ducted pupils and teachers remains our top priority. We are deploying every avail­able resource to secure their release,” he said.

The governor further stated that if the rescue op­eration became prolonged, he would personally join ef­forts aimed at securing the victims’ freedom despite the risks involved.

He also commended the protesters for conducting a peaceful demonstration, de­scribing civic engagement as an important tool for drawing attention to criti­cal issues and encouraging government action.

Earlier, Otse said the pro­test was organised to show solidarity with the families of the abducted victims and to seek updates on govern­ment efforts to secure their release.

He stressed that the demonstration was intended to complement, rather than undermine, the work of se­curity agencies.

“Nigerians must unite in confronting the growing threat of kidnapping and banditry across the coun­try,” he said.

Otse also expressed readiness, alongside other volunteers, to support res­cue efforts if called upon, describing the incident as a national concern that re­quires collective action.

The abduction of the pu­pils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area has continued to attract wide­spread concern, with resi­dents, civil society organisa­tions and other stakeholders calling for intensified efforts to ensure their safe return.