Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has called for greater collaboration among all levels of government and stakeholders to tackle insecurity and secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted in Yawota and Ahoro Esinele communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
The governor made the appeal while receiving leaders and members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who staged a solidarity rally in Ibadan to demand the safe return of the abductees.
Describing the incident as a national tragedy, Makinde cautioned against attempts to politicise the abduction or apportion blame, insisting that the priority should be rescuing the victims and strengthening security.
“This is a time of national distress. It is not the time to trade blames and play politics,” the governor said.
Makinde said the perpetrators had shown complete disregard for human life and urged Nigerians to unite in confronting the security challenge.
“We are not dealing with normal human beings. Just think briefly, how will somebody take a fellow human being and slaughter him? Is that somebody that is normal? These are not normal people,” he said.
The governor appealed to workers, teachers and students to continue to trust government efforts, assuring them that every available resource was being deployed to secure the release of the abducted children and their teachers.
He disclosed that both the federal and state governments were working closely with security agencies to ensure a successful rescue operation, adding that he had been in constant engagement with security operatives deployed to the state.
Makinde also assured stakeholders that his administration would consider proposals aimed at strengthening Oyo State’s security architecture once the abductees are safely returned.
“I can give you the assurance that our children and their teachers, by the grace of God, will return safely,” he said.
The governor stressed that insecurity remained a major obstacle to development, warning that education, healthcare and economic activities would suffer if security challenges were not addressed.
The visit comes days after a Federal Government delegation led by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, visited the affected communities and announced measures including the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State and the deployment of a specialised rescue team to aid ongoing operations.
Earlier, NANS President Akinteye Babatunde, Oyo State NLC Chairman Kayode Martins, and NUT Chairman Hassan Fatai commended the state government’s response to the incident while urging authorities to intensify rescue efforts.
The labour and student leaders also called for stronger security measures around schools and vulnerable communities to prevent future attacks and ensure a safer learning environment.
By Kemi Olaitan
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