Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Monday called for a United Nations-backed investigation into the abduction of pupils and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area, saying an independent inquiry is needed to establish accountability as he disclosed that three teachers and five security operatives were killed during efforts to secure the victims’ release.
In a state broadcast following the safe return of the Oriire abductees, Makinde stated that “we shall introduce appropriate measures to regulate movement through these corridors, improve community intelligence, strengthen collaboration with local communities and security agencies, and establish clear protocols that make it more difficult for criminal elements to exploit our border communities as safe passage or operational bases.
While saying that detailed implementation guidelines will be announced shortly, the governor noted that “this painful experience has also compelled us to rethink how we secure communities that border the Old Oyo National Park. Under our Constitution, National Parks fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government, and we respect that constitutional arrangement. However, constitutional limits do not diminish our responsibility to do everything within our lawful powers to protect the people of Oyo State.
