Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday declared that his administration would not bow to the dictates of bandits, assuring residents that the state would do everything within its power to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area.
Makinde gave the assurance while addressing a group of peaceful protesters led by activist and social commentator, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), at his private residence in Ikolaba, Ibadan.
The governor stated that he was prepared to make any sacrifice, including putting his own life on the line if necessary, to ensure the safe rescue of the victims.
He insisted that Oyo State would not become another Chibok, a reference to the mass abduction of schoolgirls in northeastern Nigeria in 2014.
“We will not surrender to bandits. Oyo is not Chibok and will never be,” Makinde told the protesters, while expressing confidence in the security architecture deployed to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.
According to him, intelligence reports available to the government and security agencies indicate that no further casualties have been recorded among the victims following the killing of a Mathematics teacher after the abduction.
The governor explained that security operatives were carefully coordinating rescue efforts to ensure the victims are freed with minimal risk to their lives.
He noted that the safety of the abductees remains the primary consideration.
While acknowledging the concerns of residents and the growing public anxiety over the incident, Makinde maintained that engaging in negotiations with kidnappers was not the most appropriate course of action for government.
He, however, assured the protesters that if the situation became prolonged, he would not hesitate to personally join the rescue operation despite the dangers involved.
The governor also commended the demonstrators for conducting a peaceful solidarity march, describing civic engagement and public advocacy as important tools for drawing attention to critical issues and motivating authorities to intensify efforts toward resolving them.
Earlier, Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, said the protest was organised to demonstrate support for the government’s ongoing efforts to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers and to demand to know what the government was doing and also when the victims will be freed and reunite with their families.
He stressed that the march was intended to complement, rather than undermine, the work of security agencies, adding that Nigerians must collectively confront the growing threat of kidnapping and banditry across the country.
The social commentator further pledged his readiness, alongside other volunteers, to participate in rescue efforts in Oriire Local Government Area if called upon, describing the situation as a national concern requiring collective action.
The abduction of the pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area has continued to generate widespread concern, with residents, civil society groups and stakeholders calling for intensified efforts to secure their safe return.