…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.
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.
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.
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.”
“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.
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