Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, has criticised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over his call for a United Nations (UN)-backed investigation into the abduction of pupils and teachers in Ogbomoso.
Makinde had on Monday urged the UN and other international accountability bodies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the abduction and rescue of the victims, saying Nigerians deserve a full account of what happened.
“The circumstances surrounding this incident are sufficiently grave and unusual to warrant independent scrutiny beyond our domestic institution,” the governor said.
On May 15, armed men attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro Esienle communities of Oriire Local Government Area, abducting 39 pupils and six teachers.
The victims were rescued after spending 56 days in captivity following a military operation involving multiple security agencies.
Speaking to The Punch on Monday, Onanuga said Makinde’s call was unnecessary because the military and other security agencies had already explained the circumstances surrounding the operation.
“The governor has just expressed his opinion that the UN should probe this incident. Our doors are open. Let the UN come if he thinks there is more to it than what our military has explained,” Onanuga said.
He questioned the basis for the governor’s demand, saying there was no reason for security agencies to deliberately allow the children to remain in captivity.
“Look at those kids. Some of them are just about four or six years old. Will anyone want to deliberately subject them to the trauma they went through for 56 days?” he said.
Onanuga noted that the operation came at a cost, with members of the military and the Oyo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun, losing their lives during the mission.
He accused Makinde, who declared his presidential bid on the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) platform, of turning the incident into a political issue.
“It is just unfortunate that Mr Makinde, maybe because of politics, because he is a presidential candidate now, doesn’t have any trust in our own institutions and is now calling on an external body to come and investigate,” he said.
The presidential aide described the governor’s demand as “unwarranted” and “absolutely unnecessary”.
“The man is just playing politics, and it is the politics of the bizarre. He wants to weaponise anything available, including dredging up a strange conspiracy theory,” he added.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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