Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Friday said the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area occurred barely hours after he declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Makinde made the remark while addressing leaders of the Allied Peoples Movement and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed in Bauchi, where he reflected on the May 15 attack, saying Oyo State had not witnessed a similar incident throughout his seven years in office.
According to the governor, the timing of the kidnapping remains striking.
“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.
The governor, however, did not directly link the attack to his presidential ambition or provide evidence to support any connection.
His comments came hours after the Presidency announced the rescue of all the abducted pupils and teachers after 56 days in captivity.
The Presidency said the victims regained their freedom during a coordinated operation involving the military, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force.
It added that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested and are currently in DSS custody, while several other members of the gang were killed during the operation.
The Presidency also stated that no ransom was paid and no negotiations were held with the kidnappers despite their demand for the release of one of their detained leaders, who is currently facing prosecution.
Reacting to the successful operation, Makinde expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the security agencies for securing the release of the victims.
He described the development as a huge relief for the families of the abducted pupils and teachers, as well as residents of Oyo State, saying it ended weeks of anxiety following the attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
President Tinubu also commended the military, the DSS and the police for rescuing the victims without casualties and directed relevant emergency agencies to collaborate with the Oyo State Government in providing medical attention and other necessary support for the rescued pupils and teachers.
Makinde formally declared his presidential ambition on May 14 during a joint rally of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Allied Peoples Movement in Ibadan, where he pledged to “reset Nigeria.”Politics
He later emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement after being adopted as the party’s consensus candidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
