Fayose Alleges Oyo Government Orchestrated School Abduction

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has stirred political controversy after alleging that the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State may have been orchestrated to embarrass President Bola Tinubu.

Fayose made the claim during a televised programme while reacting to the kidnapping incident that recently occurred in parts of Oyo State and attracted nationwide attention.

The former governor questioned the response of the Oyo State Government to the security crisis and suggested that political interests may have influenced how the situation was handled.

The abduction involved pupils and teachers who were reportedly kidnapped by gunmen in some local government areas of Oyo State on Friday. The incident sparked public concern across the country and prompted swift intervention from the Federal Government.

Following the attack, President Tinubu reportedly dispatched a high-level delegation to the affected communities and assured residents that security agencies were working to secure the safe release of the victims.

Reacting to the development, Fayose argued that state governments should take greater responsibility for security issues within their territories instead of immediately shifting blame or attention to the Federal Government.

According to him, local governments and state authorities play critical roles in handling security matters because they are closer to the affected communities and also have access to security resources and operational structures.

Fayose criticised the response of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, alleging that the governor did not respond quickly enough after the abduction occurred.

He claimed that Governor Makinde was more focused on political activities and party nominations at the time of the incident rather than immediately addressing the security situation and visiting affected families.

The former governor further suggested that the kidnapping incident may have been politically motivated to portray the Federal Government negatively in the eyes of Nigerians.

According to Fayose, he believes the incident could have been orchestrated by the Oyo State Government as part of an attempt to blackmail President Tinubu, although he acknowledged that he could be wrong in his assessment.

The comments have since generated political reactions and debate online, especially as concerns over insecurity continue to dominate national discussions across Nigeria.

Neither the Oyo State Government nor Governor Makinde had officially responded to Fayose’s allegations at the time of reporting.

The abduction case remains a major security concern in Oyo State, with rescue efforts and investigations reportedly ongoing as families continue to await the safe return of the kidnapped pupils and teachers.