The rescue of the 44 pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State after 56 days in captivity has continued to generate political debate.
According to The PUNCH, the incident has evolved from a security challenge into a political issue, with allegations of sabotage, claims of political interference, and discussions about the relationship between President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the circumstances surrounding the abduction suggested it was more than a routine security incident. The party’s Publicity Secretary, Michael Ogunsina, argued that Oyo had not witnessed a kidnapping of such scale since Governor Makinde assumed office and questioned why the governor’s role in the rescue operation was omitted from official communications.
“If you take a closer look at the video released by Bayo Onanuga, the principal among the victims was given a script to read. She did not acknowledge Governor Makinde’s efforts even though everyone knows the efforts of the governor and Oyo security outfits such as Amotekun,” Ogunsina said.
He also noted that the Nigerian Army’s statement did not mention Makinde and described attempts to politicise the incident as “silly and preposterous.”
