…Gives Panel Four Weeks To Submit Report
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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated an eight-member Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the May 15, 2026 abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
The commission, inaugurated on Friday at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan, is chaired by a retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, Professor Mojeed Owoade.
Other members are Professor Jibril Ibrahim, human rights lawyer Ayo Obe, retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Ngozi Onadeko, Dr Abimbola Orogade, retired Major General Sanusi Nasir Muazu and Folorunsho Osunrayi, while Olamide Sandra Tella will serve as secretary.
Makinde charged the commission with establishing the facts surrounding the abduction, identifying any institutional, security or operational lapses and recommending measures to strengthen the protection of schools and vulnerable communities across Oyo State.
He said the kidnapping was not merely an attack on the two affected communities but an assault on the right of every Nigerian child to receive an education in safety and on the confidence of parents who send their children to school daily.
“The abduction of innocent children and their teachers in Oriire Local Government Area was not merely an attack on the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities,” the governor said.
“It was an attack on the right of every Nigerian child to learn in safety and on the confidence of every parent who sends a child to school each day.”
Makinde said that although the state remained grateful for the return of the victims, the government’s responsibility did not end with their rescue.
“Rescue brings relief, but truth brings closure. Accountability and reform restore public confidence and help prevent recurrence,” he said.
“Justice is not only about punishing wrongdoing; it is about learning enough to ensure that the innocent are never again placed in harm’s way.”
The governor explained that the independent inquiry was not intended to diminish the sacrifices or achievements of the security agencies involved in locating and rescuing the victims.
He said his earlier call for support from the United Nations and other international bodies was intended to ensure that every relevant question surrounding the incident was answered, rather than to undermine Nigeria’s security institutions.
The victims, comprising 44 pupils and teachers abducted from three schools, were released on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity. The rescue followed operations involving the Nigerian Army, Police, State Security Service and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Two teachers and some security personnel were reported to have died in connection with the incident.
Makinde said the commission represented the state government’s commitment to independently examining what happened, determining whether preventable failures contributed to the incident and ensuring that lessons were incorporated into future security planning.
He also recalled his family’s connection to the affected area, saying his father taught at St Luke’s, Ahoro Dada, in 1959 while undergoing teacher training.
The governor said that had his father been kidnapped and killed at the time, he might never have been born, adding that the personal reflection strengthened his resolve to ensure a thorough examination of the abduction.
“My own father actually taught in Ahoro Dada in 1959. He was at St Luke’s. I think they sent him out there for teachers’ training,” Makinde said.
“Let us assume that he got kidnapped and he was the one beheaded. I never would have been born.”
Makinde acknowledged the political sensitivity surrounding the inquiry and urged the panel members to resist pressure, speculation or attempts to portray their work as politically motivated.
He directed them to be guided solely by the evidence, the law and the public interest, stressing that residents of Oyo State and Nigerians generally expected an impartial and credible investigation.
The commission was given an initial period of four weeks to complete its assignment and submit its report.
Makinde, however, said an extension would be granted where necessary to ensure that the panel conducted a comprehensive investigation and left no relevant issue unresolved.
He assured the commission that the state government would provide the resources and institutional support required for it to discharge its responsibilities independently and professionally.
The governor also called on individuals, government institutions, community leaders, security agencies and other persons with relevant information to cooperate fully with the inquiry.
Responding on behalf of the commission, Owoade assured the public that the panel would act independently and base its findings and recommendations on the evidence presented before it.
“Nothing but the truth will form our report and recommendations,” he said.
The retired appellate court justice acknowledged that the initial four-week period might not be sufficient for a thorough investigation, adding that the commission would request additional time where necessary.
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