Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, has criticised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over his call for the United Nations (UN) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the abduction and rescue of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Oshiomhole described the governor’s request as unnecessary and said it undermined the efforts of Nigeria’s security agencies and President Bola Tinubu in securing the victims’ release.
The former Edo State governor made his position known during Tuesday’s plenary of the Senate while proposing an additional prayer on the recent rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers.
According to him, Nigeria is a sovereign nation with institutions capable of handling security-related matters and should not invite foreign bodies to investigate an incident involving its own security agencies.
He also accused Governor Makinde of allowing partisan politics to influence his comments, saying the governor’s position failed to recognise the sacrifices made by the military and other security personnel involved in the rescue mission.
“The Oyo State Governor calling on the United Nations to investigate the various circumstances surrounding the abduction and even the rescue, I thought that was the most unstatesmanlike,” Oshiomhole said on the Senate floor.
“He carries partisan politics too far, and this Senate should condemn his unguided statement. Nigeria is a sovereign nation.”
The senator argued that there have been several successful rescue operations carried out by the Nigerian Armed Forces without the payment of ransom, adding that the Oriire operation was another example of the country’s security agencies carrying out their constitutional duties.
“When we wake up and call on foreign authorities to investigate, there are more cases where our armed forces have shown that without paying ransom, the children and the teachers could be rescued,” he said.
“To trivialise it, as the governor of Oyo State seems to have done, downplays the achievement of the Commander-in-Chief and all those involved in the rescue operation processes.”
The disagreement followed Governor Makinde’s state-wide broadcast on Monday, shortly after the Nigerian military formally handed over the rescued pupils and teachers to the Oyo State Government.
While expressing relief over the successful rescue, the governor called on the United Nations and other international human rights and accountability organisations to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abduction.
According to Makinde, the incident raised several unanswered questions that deserved independent scrutiny beyond Nigeria’s domestic institutions.
Although the governor welcomed the safe return of the victims, he maintained that a transparent investigation would help establish the facts surrounding the incident and strengthen public confidence in the handling of similar security challenges in the future.
His comments quickly generated reactions from political leaders and members of the public, with supporters arguing that an independent investigation would improve accountability, while critics insisted that such a request could weaken confidence in Nigeria’s security institutions.
The abduction, which shocked many Nigerians, involved pupils and teachers travelling through Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State before they were taken away by armed men.
The incident sparked nationwide concern and renewed calls for stronger security measures to protect schools, especially in rural communities where kidnappers and other criminal groups have increasingly targeted students and education workers.
For several weeks, families of the victims, community leaders and residents waited anxiously as security agencies intensified efforts to locate those held captive.
The successful rescue, carried out by the Nigerian military with support from other security agencies, was widely welcomed across the country.
President Bola Tinubu had commended the security forces for the operation, describing it as another demonstration of the government’s determination to combat terrorism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
Military authorities also praised the personnel involved in the operation, saying the rescue was achieved after careful planning and coordinated intelligence gathering.
The operation added to a growing number of military missions in different parts of the country aimed at rescuing kidnapped victims and dismantling criminal camps without paying ransom.
In recent years, attacks on schools have become a major security concern in Nigeria. Several states, particularly in the northern part of the country, have witnessed mass abductions of students by armed groups seeking ransom payments.
Although Oyo State has not experienced such incidents as frequently as some northern states, the Oriire abduction highlighted the need for continued vigilance and stronger security around schools and major highways.
The Federal Government has repeatedly assured Nigerians that security agencies are improving intelligence gathering and strengthening cooperation among the military, police and other security organisations to tackle kidnapping and terrorism.
The Senate has also continued to debate measures aimed at improving security across the country, including increased funding for security agencies, enhanced intelligence sharing and stronger support for military operations.
Oshiomhole’s remarks are expected to add a political dimension to the debate over how security incidents should be investigated and communicated to the public.
While the senator believes Nigeria should rely on its own institutions to examine such cases, Governor Makinde’s position reflects calls from some quarters for broader independent scrutiny whenever major security incidents raise public concerns.
The differing views highlight the wider national conversation on security, accountability and public confidence in Nigeria’s institutions as the country continues to confront kidnapping and other violent crimes.
Despite the disagreement over the governor’s call for a UN investigation, there is broad agreement across the political divide that the safe rescue of the pupils and teachers was a welcome development and that sustained efforts are needed to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The rescue has brought relief to the affected families and communities, while attention is now shifting to improving school security, supporting the victims and ensuring that those responsible for the abduction are arrested and brought to justice.