BREAKING: MAKINDE LINKS OYO SCHOOL ABDUCTION TO HOURS AFTER HIS 2027 PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION

MAKINDE LINKS OYO SCHOOL ABDUCTION TO HOURS AFTER HIS 2027 PRESIDENTIAL DECLARATION

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has revealed that the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area occurred just hours after he publicly declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Makinde made the disclosure on Friday while addressing a meeting with Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and leaders of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Bauchi State.

According to the governor, Oyo State had not experienced a similar incident throughout his seven years in office until the kidnapping took place on May 15, less than 24 hours after his presidential declaration.

“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's remarks came hours before the Presidency announced that all the abducted pupils and teachers had been successfully rescued after spending 56 days in captivity.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said the victims were rescued during a coordinated operation involving the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force.

The operation led to the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers, who are currently in DSS custody, while several other members of the gang were neutralised.

The Presidency also clarified that the Federal Government did not negotiate with the kidnappers or grant any concession for the victims' release, despite reports that the abductors demanded the release of one of their alleged kingpins, who remains in custody and is facing prosecution.

Reacting to the successful rescue, Governor Makinde expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the military, the police, the DSS, and other security agencies for securing the safe release of the victims.

He described the development as a huge relief for the affected families and the people of Oyo State, noting that it brought an end to weeks of anxiety following the abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.

President Tinubu also commended the security agencies for carrying out the rescue operation without collateral damage and directed relevant emergency agencies to collaborate with the Oyo State Government in providing medical care, counselling, 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 (PDP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Ibadan, where he pledged to "reset Nigeria." He later emerged as the APM's presidential candidate after being adopted as the party's consensus candidate.