The son of former Oyo State Governor, the late Alhaji Lam Adesina, Dr. Ayobami Wasiu Lam-Adesina, has called on the Federal and the Oyo State Governments to put aside their political differences and work together to address the security challenges exposed by the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
Lam-Adesina, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Oyo State, made the appeal in a statement on Wednesday.
Dr Lam-Adesina warned against politicising the Oriire kidnapping, which has generated exchanges between the Presidency and the Oyo State Government.
According to him, the safety and security of Nigerians should remain the overriding priority of leaders, irrespective of political affiliations.
“The recent kidnapping incident in Oriire should not be turned into a political issue. The safety and security of our people must remain our collective priority above every political consideration,” he said.
He stressed that whatever differences may exist between the Presidency and the Oyo State Government should not be allowed to undermine efforts to combat insecwarne.
He noted that the lives of innocent Nigerians are too precious to be sacrificed on the altar of political disagreements.
Describing kidnapping as one of the country’s gravest security threats, Lam-Adesina said the menace has continued to claim innocent lives, destroy businesses and livelihoods, while leaving victims and their families with lasting emotional and psychological trauma.
He observed that many Nigerians have lost loved ones, valuable property and their means of livelihood to criminal activities, with countless others now living in fear and uncertainty.
The APC chieftain said the Oriire incident should serve as a wake-up call to governments at all levels to prioritise collaboration over political point-scoring.
Rather than engaging in blame games or trading accusations, he urged both the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to strengthen cooperation through intelligence sharing, coordinated security operations and sustained investment in measures aimed at tackling insecurity.
“Security should never be viewed through the lens of politics; it is a shared responsibility that demands cooperation, intelligence sharing and sustained investment,” he stated.
Lam-Adesina further appealed to both governments to create an enabling environment where citizens can live, work and travel without fear, insisting that every Nigerian deserves adequate protection of life and property regardless of political affiliation.
He also called on political leaders across party lines to focus on delivering the dividends of democracy through improved security, good governance and people-centred policies capable of restoring public confidence in government.
According to him, democracy can only be meaningful when it guarantees the safety and welfare of the people.
He urged leaders across political divide to place national interest above partisan considerations in confronting the country’s security challenges.