UN Probe: Tinubu Accuses Gov Makinde Of Playing Bizarre Politics

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has criticised Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his appeal for a United Nations-led investigation into the abduction of 39 pupils and six teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the move as unnecessary and politically driven.

According to Ireporter Online, the President maintained that Nigeria’s security agencies had already provided a detailed account of the rescue mission, making an international investigation unwarranted.

Governor Makinde made the appeal while officially assuming responsibility for the rehabilitation, welfare and education of the 45 victims who regained their freedom after spending 56 days in captivity. The pupils and teachers were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communities of Oriire Local Government Area.

Reacting to the governor’s position, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the request reflected a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s security institutions.

Speaking during an interview, Onanuga stated that while the Federal Government had no objection to any international body examining the incident, there was no justification for such a demand, insisting that the military and other security agencies had already explained the circumstances surrounding the rescue operation.

He argued that it was inconceivable to suggest that security officials deliberately allowed the victims to remain in captivity for nearly two months, stressing that soldiers and operatives of the Oyo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, reportedly lost their lives during efforts to secure the victims’ release.

Onanuga also noted that one of the abducted teachers was killed by the kidnappers while the victims remained in captivity, adding that the military and the Department of State Services had already disclosed all available information regarding the operation.

Describing Makinde’s request as both unwarranted and unnecessary, the presidential aide accused the governor of allowing political considerations to shape his stance. He alleged that Makinde, whom he referred to as a presidential aspirant, was attempting to undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s institutions while using the abduction incident to score political points against the Federal Government.

According to him, the governor was engaging in what he described as “bizarre politics” by promoting what he called an unfounded conspiracy surrounding the incident.

Makinde, however, defended his position, insisting that the unusual nature of the abduction and subsequent rescue justified an independent international review. Speaking after the rescued pupils and teachers were handed over to the Oyo State Government by the Federal Government, the governor urged the United Nations and other international human rights and accountability organisations to examine the circumstances surrounding both the kidnapping and the rescue mission.

He maintained that his appeal was not intended to discredit Nigeria’s institutions but rather to promote accountability, strengthen transparency and rebuild public confidence in the handling of the case.