A fresh political disagreement has emerged between the Presidency and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde following the governor’s call for an international investigation into the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga criticised Makinde’s demand for a United Nations-backed probe, describing it as unnecessary and politically motivated.
The disagreement comes months after armed men attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro Esienle communities of Oriire LGA, abducting 39 pupils and six teachers before they were eventually rescued.
Governor Makinde had argued that the circumstances surrounding both the abduction and the rescue operation deserved independent scrutiny beyond Nigeria’s local institutions, saying Nigerians deserve a full explanation of what happened.
Reacting to the governor’s remarks, Onanuga said there was no need for an external investigation, insisting that the military and other security agencies had already provided an account of the rescue operation.
According to him, the Federal Government remains open to any inquiry but questioned the reason behind the governor’s request.
He also dismissed suggestions that security agencies would intentionally allow innocent children to remain in captivity, noting that several security personnel, including members of the military and the Amotekun Corps, lost their lives during efforts to rescue the victims.
Onanuga further accused Makinde of turning a sensitive security issue into politics, claiming the governor’s comments were influenced by his presidential ambition.
He described the call for a UN investigation as unnecessary and labelled it “politics of the bizarre.”
The exchange has added another layer to the ongoing debate over the handling of insecurity in Nigeria, with both sides maintaining different views on whether an international investigation is needed.
