Oyo Abduction: Makinde’s Call On UN Not Out Of Place – Experts

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LAGOS – Professor John Ebhomien, a for­mer Consultant to the United Na­tions Office on Project Services, has said that the recent call by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on the United Nations (UN) to investigate the Oyo School ab­duction may indeed yield some fruits for Nigeria, especially in the war against terrorism.

Speaking with Sunday Indepen­dent, in Lagos, Prof. Ebhomien, an economist and financial expert, said the governor, may have internation­alised the Oyo school abduction for three main reasons.

Recall that Governor Makinde recently called on the United Na­tions to investigate the abduction of school children and their teachers who were incarcerated for several weeks in the bush by their abduc­tors.

Interestingly, Makinde made the call after the children and their teachers had been released though the joint efforts of Nigerian security agencies.

However, even after the release, several other abductions had taken place in Oyo and other parts of the country, as indeed, abduction, like other ongoing terrorist activities within the country, has become a booming trade.

Ebhomien, who has a deep knowledge of the operations of the United Nations and its agencies, having worked with them for sever­al years, maintained that Governor Makinde may want to use the opportunity of the abduction to mount pressure on federal security agencies to attract resources/technical support that state authorities alone cannot mobilise.

Ebhomien, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also said that Governor Makinde may also use the op­portunity to signal to parents and the public that the state is treating the case as a grave human rights issue, not routine crime.

The economist, who was in global public service, stressed that UN probes like the one Ma­kinde called for usually bring global attention, which can de­ter further attacks on schools and force accountability, if local investigations stall.

Ebhomien explained: “What a UN probe could establish is that it would typically verify facts independently: the time­line, perpetrators, security laps­es, and whether the abduction fits patterns of terrorism or banditry.

“It can also access compli­ance with international laws on child protection and safe schools. The outcome would likely be recommendations on security, victim support, and prosecution, plus documenta­tion that can be used for sanc­tions or aid.

“But, the impact depends on federal cooperation, since secu­rity is on the Exclusive List.

“My special appeal to the Federal and State governments is to put in place appropriate mechanisms for the security of lives and properties.”

Bishop Herbert Ekechukwu, an economist, church leader and public affairs commenta­tor, lamented that the Nigerian government has been fighting insecurity, terrorism, kidnap­ping, and banditry and herds­men attacks with kid’s gloves.

According to Dr Ekechukwu, “The Federal Government has not been tackling the issue with the urgency it deserves.

“Rather, they are either se­cretly negotiating with terror­ists, or rehabilitating the arrest­ed ones and calling terrorists Nigeria’s prodigal sons about to repent, instead of allowing the law to take its course.

“Considering this posture of the Federal Government, one should not blame Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state for calling on the international agencies, especially the United Nations, to investigate the Oyo State school kidnap at Orire.

“Actually, bringing in the United Nations to probe the Orire school children and teach­ers kidnap will put pressure on Federal Government, security agencies, and kidnappers.

“It will also open doors for funding anti-terrorism efforts, tech and expertise for rescue operations and prevention.

“Also, the United Nations investigation will seem neutral and unbiased as it will be of international standard for ev­idence gathering and human rights.

“The United Nations agen­cies like UNICEF, UNDP, UN­ESCO, etc, have experiences in hostage negotiation, child protection, counter terror­ism, forensic and rehab for victims.

“Also, a UN report can make recommendations to the Nige­rian governments for better na­tional laws on school security framework and border control that will go beyond Oyo State as such UN agencies will treat the issue as that of human rights and child rights.

“If kidnappers know that the world is watching through the UN intervention and investiga­tion, it may discourage them from future attacks on schools and public institutions.”

Dr. Victor Mathew, a secu­rity expert and human rights promoter, said that it is very unfortunate that the same way poverty has been weaponised by Nigeria’s political elites; today insecurity has also been weap­onised.

Mathew, the Executive Di­rector, Kingdom Advocacy Net­work (KAN) and CEO, Nextstep Security Organisation, stated: “It is very difficult now to dis­tinguish between pure crimi­nality and politically motivated insecurity, especially large-scale abductions.

“The governor alleged that he declared for the Office of the President and two days later, there was the Orire school ab­duction in his state.

“That is the political dimen­sion of the abduction as I stated earlier. The release of the school pupils and the teachers, going by the account of the Federal Government, leaves more ques­tions than answers.

“The intention of the gover­nor to internationalise the ab­duction is still in furtherance of the political dimension of the abduction.

“The governor seeking the intervention of the United Na­tion to probe the abduction is purely political and not due to his love for the victims of the abduction.

“Well, the world is a global village and no country can live in isolation. The call for a UN probe, to me, is an indictment of the counter terrorism measures and protocols because there seems to be loss of control by the government.

“With such controls now be­ing in the hands of non-state ac­tors, they abduct at will without real and decisive response from the government.

“I don’t think the United Na­tions will respond because the body is currently overwhelmed by global terrorism and geno­cidal issues coupled with in­adequate funding by member states.

“In summary, Governor Ma­kinde’s call for an international probe is purely politics being taken to another dimension.

“Until State Police come into effect, the Federal Government, whose purview national secu­rity rests on, must and should rise up to the occasion and cov­er themselves in glory because there is palpable fear among the citizens.

“The inability of the Feder­al Government, which has the monopoly of the instrument of coercion with which to pro­tect the people, according to the constitution, and which is the primary purpose of gov­ernment, must rise up to this constitutional demand and ex­pectations.”