Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has expressed deep sorrow over the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area. Speaking during a peaceful protest by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, and National Association of Nigerian Students at his Ibadan office, Makinde emphasized that this is not a moment to assign blame to himself or President Bola Tinubu. He called for national unity in tackling insecurity.
Makinde described the incident as a national distress, not an opportunity for political point-scoring. He shared a personal connection, revealing that his father was a primary school teacher in the area decades ago. ‘If something like this had happened to him, maybe I wouldn’t even have been born,’ he said, underscoring the gravity of the situation.
The governor stressed that fighting insecurity requires a collective effort. ‘This is not the time for us to say it is the President that should have handled this, or it is the Governor, or the local government. This is a time to pull together as one,’ he stated, urging Nigerians to stand united.
His remarks come amid rising tensions and political finger-pointing following the kidnappings. Makinde’s appeal for solidarity aims to steer the conversation away from divisive politics and toward a unified response to the security challenge.