The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, visited one of the communities affected by the recent school abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of the state during the weekend, assuring families of the victims that his administration was working with security agencies to secure their release.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the Governor’s visit came two weeks after suspected gunmen attacked communities in the area, killing residents and abducting several pupils and teachers.
Makinde, on Saturday, May 30, met with affected families, community leaders and residents at L.A Basic School, one of the schools affected by the incident.
Addressing the gathering, the governor said he understood the pain and anxiety of the families whose children and relatives were still being held by the abductors.
He said the government would continue to pursue lawful and coordinated efforts to ensure the safe return of all victims.
“I understand the pain and anxiety that many of you are experiencing at this moment. As your government, we share your concerns, and we are fully committed to securing the safe return of our children and their teachers.
“By the grace of God, we will bring our children and their teachers home safely. Please remain calm, continue to support the efforts of the authorities, and keep the victims and their families in your prayers,” Governor Makinde said.
He disclosed that his administration had been working closely with security commanders and reviewing rescue strategies daily.
According to him, the matter has remained a priority for the state government, with meetings held twice daily to assess the situation and improve the rescue operation.
“Please believe in me. I have not been sleeping well myself. Together with the service commanders, we meet twice every day, one in the morning and one at night, sometimes until 10 or 11 p.m.,” he said.
The governor added that the ongoing security operation required caution because of the nature of the abductors.
Makinde said all available resources had been deployed to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.
He, however, explained that some details of the operation could not be made public because of security reasons.
“The people we are dealing with are dangerous and unpredictable. Because this is an ongoing security operation, there are certain details I cannot disclose. However, I want to assure you that every available resource is being deployed to secure the release of the victims,” he said.
The governor also described the abduction of nursery and primary school pupils as unusual and deeply troubling.
“There is nowhere in Nigeria where we have seen this sort of situation where nursery and primary school students are kidnapped. If it were secondary school students, we have heard that before, but to abduct nursery and primary school pupils is strange,” he added.
The governor urged residents and members of the public not to turn the incident into a political argument or a blame game among the different levels of government.
He said the immediate priority should be the safe rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers.
“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,” Makinde stated.
“I understand that many people have different opinions about what should be done. Many have offered advice and suggestions, and we appreciate the concern. However, we must act responsibly and carefully to avoid putting innocent lives at greater risk,” he added.
PrimeTimes Nigeria recalls that suspected gunmen had, on Friday, May 15, 2026, invaded two communities in Oriire Local Government Area, killing two persons and abducting several pupils and teachers.
Two days after the attack, one of the abducted teachers at Community High School, Ahoro Esinele, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly killed by the suspects in a video that later circulated online.
Last Friday, two abducted staff members, including a teacher and the principal of Community High School, Esinele, Folawe Alamu, appealed to Makinde to urgently intervene and save the lives of the remaining abducted pupils and teachers.