I Declared for Presidency 4pm; School Pupils, Teachers Kidnapped 2nd day- Makinde

“For seven years, we didn’t witness anything like this in Oyo State,” Governor Makinde speaks minutes before rescue, links those against his presidential ambition to Oriire kidnap

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Friday said the abduction of pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area occurred just hours after he declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Makinde made the remark while addressing a meeting with Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and leaders of the Allied Peoples Movement in Bauchi, recalling that Oyo had not recorded a similar incident during his seven years in office before the May 15 attack.

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“For seven years, we didn’t witness anything like this in Oyo State. I declared to run for the presidency of Nigeria at four o’clock, and by 9 a.m. the following morning, the children were abducted,” Makinde said.

Hours after Makinde’s remarks in Bauchi, the Presidency announced that all the victims had been rescued after spending 56 days in captivity.

‘Finally,’ Abducted Oyo Pupils, Teachers Regain Freedom

The Presidency said the victims were freed during a joint operation involving the military, the Department of State Services and the police, with eight suspected kidnappers arrested and others neutralised.

According to the Presidency, eight suspected kidnappers were arrested and are currently in DSS custody, while several others were neutralised during the operation.

The Presidency also said there was no negotiation or exchange to secure the victims’ release despite the abductors’ demand for the release of one of their detained kingpins, who is currently facing prosecution.

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Following the rescue, Makinde expressed relief and thanked the President, the military, the police, the DSS and other security agencies for securing the victims’ freedom.

The governor described the rescue as “a big relief” for the families of the victims and the people of Oyo State, saying the successful operation brought an end to weeks of anxiety after the abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire.

Tinubu also commended the security agencies for rescuing the victims without collateral damage and directed emergency agencies to work with the Oyo State Government to provide medical care and other support for the rescued pupils and teachers.

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Makinde formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on May 14 at a joint rally of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Allied Peoples Movement in Ibadan, where he announced his ambition to “reset Nigeria.” The following day, May 15, the school children and their teachers were abducted.

NOP NIGERIA