The Presidency has criticised Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s call for a United Nations-led investigation into the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the request as unnecessary and politically driven.
Speaking on Monday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the Federal Government had no objection if the United Nations chose to investigate the incident but questioned the need for such a move.
According to Onanuga, the government remains open to any independent inquiry if the governor believes there are unresolved issues beyond the explanations already provided by the military.
He argued that no security agency would intentionally allow young children to remain in captivity for 56 days, stressing that the victims endured severe trauma during the period.
Onanuga also noted that the rescue operation came at a significant cost, with several security personnel, including soldiers and members of the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun), reportedly losing their lives while working to free the abducted victims.
He further revealed that one of the teachers abducted during the attack was killed while in captivity, describing any suggestion that the ordeal was deliberately orchestrated as unreasonable.
The presidential spokesman accused Governor Makinde of allowing politics to shape his position, claiming the governor’s demand for an international investigation reflected a lack of confidence in Nigeria’s security institutions.
He described the governor’s position as unnecessary and alleged that the incident was being used to score political points.
Earlier on Monday, Governor Makinde renewed his call for an independent international investigation while receiving the 45 rescued pupils and teachers officially handed over to the Oyo State Government by the Federal Government after spending 56 days in captivity.
The governor maintained that the circumstances surrounding both the abduction and the rescue warranted international scrutiny to ensure transparency and accountability.
Makinde explained that his request was not intended to undermine Nigerian institutions but to strengthen public confidence by establishing the full facts surrounding the incident.
He said Nigerians deserve clear answers on whether there were institutional failures, negligence, or possible collusion that contributed to the abduction, as well as measures needed to prevent similar attacks on schools in the future.
The governor insisted that his appeal was about justice for the victims, restoring public trust, and ensuring that children across the country can attend school without fear.
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