Oyo governor receives inquiry report into school abduction

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has received the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, promising to examine its recommendations and set out measures to prevent a recurrence. Mr Makinde received the report on Tuesday from the commission’s chairman, Majeed Owoade, a retired judge, at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office in Ibadan. In a statement on X, the governor said the administration would carefully review the findings before making its position public.

The commission was inaugurated after the 15 May abduction of 46 people—39 pupils and seven teachers—from schools in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities. The victims were rescued after 56 days in captivity. According to Vanguard, Mr Owoade said the panel heard from 72 witnesses, including victims, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, experts and other stakeholders.

He said their evidence helped the commission examine the circumstances of the abduction and security problems in the affected communities. The chairman said the recommendations focused on strengthening preventive security, improving intelligence gathering and promoting cooperation among governments, security agencies and inter-agency bodies. He also called for a review of laws and the management of forest reserves, including the Old Oyo National Park, which is controlled by the Federal Government.

Mr Makinde said the rescue did not remove the consequences of the incident, including deaths, trauma and fear. Two teachers and an okada rider died during the incident and rescue operation. At the presentation, the governor also appealed to the Federal Government to intensify efforts to rescue more than 40 children reportedly abducted from Mussa in Borno State’s Askira-Uba Local Government Area on the same day.

Those children, the report said, remained in captivity while the Oriire victims had returned home.