Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has suggested that the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area may have been politically motivated, revealing that the incident occurred just hours after he declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during a meeting with political leaders in Bauchi, Makinde said the state had not witnessed a similar kidnapping throughout his seven years in office until the attack of May 15.
According to the governor, he announced his presidential ambition at about 4 p.m., only for gunmen to strike the following morning.
“I declared to run for the presidency of Nigeria at four o’clock, and by 9 a.m. the following morning, the children were abducted,” he said.
The governor stopped short of directly accusing any individual or group of orchestrating the attack but noted the unusual timing of the incident.
The abducted pupils and teachers were eventually freed after spending 56 days in captivity following a coordinated security operation involving the military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force.
The Presidency disclosed that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested while several others were neutralised during the operation. It also maintained that the victims were rescued without any negotiation involving the release of a detained kidnap kingpin.
Describing the rescue as “a big relief,” Makinde expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the security agencies for their role in securing the safe return of the victims.
His remarks are expected to fuel fresh political debate over the circumstances surrounding the high-profile kidnapping, coming as political activities ahead of the 2027 general election continue to gather momentum.