Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has appealed for greater collaboration among all levels of government in addressing insecurity and ensuring the safe release of pupils and teachers abducted from the Yawota and Ahoro Esinele communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
He made the appeal on Tuesday while receiving representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who staged a peaceful solidarity visit to the Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, to demand urgent action for the abductees’ release.
Describing the incident as a moment of national distress, Makinde cautioned against politicising the situation or engaging in blame games.
According to him, “We are in a time of national distress. This is not the time for politics or blame. I am personally affected by this tragedy. My father was a primary school teacher who once taught not far from where this incident occurred. I can only imagine the pain if something like this had happened in his time”.
He stressed the need for unity, insisting that the focus should be on rescuing the victims rather than assigning responsibility.
“We are not dealing with normal human behaviour here. No one should divide us at a time like this. We must work together and allow the government to handle the situation,” he added.
The governor also assured that both state and federal authorities are working closely with security agencies to secure the safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers. He noted that he has been in constant engagement with security operatives deployed to the state in recent weeks.
Makinde further promised that once the rescue operation is concluded, his administration would consider proposals aimed at strengthening security, particularly around schools.
“In a situation like this, normal activities suffer—schools, hospitals, and the economy are all affected. We understand the urgency, and from the presidency to the state level, efforts are ongoing to resolve it”, he said.
He appealed for patience and cooperation from students, teachers, and labour groups, expressing confidence that the abductees would return safely.