MAKINDE INAUGURATES JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO ORIIRE ABDUCTION
Read Time:2 Minute, 38 Second
By ‘Sefiu Ajape
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in the Ahoro Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
The commission is chaired by former Justice of the Court of Appeal, Mojeed Owoade, with Olamide Tella serving as secretary. Other members are Jibril Ibrahim, Ayo Obe, Ngozi Onadeko, Abimbola Orogade, Major General Sanusi Muazu (retd.), and Folorunsho Osunrayi.
Speaking during the inauguration at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, on Friday, Makinde described the incident as not only an attack on the affected communities but also an assault on the right of every Nigerian child to receive education in a safe environment.
While expressing gratitude for the safe return of the victims, the governor said the establishment of an independent commission was necessary to ensure that all lessons are learnt and critical questions answered.
“The abduction of innocent children and their teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area was not merely an attack on the Ahoro and Yawota communities,” Governor Makinde 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.”
“While we remain grateful for the safe return of the victims, our duty does not end with their rescue. Rescue brings relief, but truth brings closure. Accountability and reform restore public confidence and help prevent recurrence. 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,” he said.
Makinde stressed that the commission was not set up to undermine the efforts and sacrifices of security agencies.
He tasked the panel with establishing the facts surrounding the incident, identifying institutional or operational lapses, and recommending measures to strengthen the protection of schools and communities across the state, noting that its findings would be crucial in preventing a recurrence.
The governor also recalled his personal connection to the affected area, revealing that his father taught at St. Luke’s, Ahoro Dada, in 1959. He said that if his father had been kidnapped and killed at the time, he might never have been born, adding that the experience strengthened his resolve to order an independent investigation into the incident.
The commission has been given an initial one-month period to complete its assignment, with the option of an extension if necessary. Makinde assured the panel of the state government’s full support to enable it carry out its assignment independently and professionally, while urging individuals, institutions, and relevant agencies to cooperate by providing useful information.
Speaking with journalists after the inauguration, Owoade assured the public that the commission would be guided solely by the truth and expressed confidence in the ability of its members to carry out the assignment.
The panel was constituted weeks after more than 40 students and pupils were abducted in the state. The victims were later rescued after spending about a month in captivity following sustained protests by several groups, including the Nigeria Union of Teachers.
Happy
0 %
Sad
0 %
Excited
0 %
Sleepy
0 %
Angry
0 %
Surprise
0 %
0
0