Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the exercise as a crucial step towards establishing the truth and preventing similar attacks on schools.
The inauguration, held in Ibadan, comes weeks after security agencies rescued the abducted pupils and teachers following 56 days in captivity, ending one of the state’s most disturbing school kidnapping incidents.
The victims were subsequently handed over to the Oyo State Government for rehabilitation and reintegration after undergoing medical evaluation and psychosocial support.
Speaking during the inauguration, Makinde said the commission had been constituted to conduct a thorough and independent examination of the incident, identify operational and institutional shortcomings, and recommend lasting measures to strengthen the protection of schools and communities across the state.
“The assignment of this Commission is to establish the facts, identify any institutional or operational lapses, recommend measures that will strengthen the protection of our schools and communities, and help ensure that such a tragedy never happens again,” the governor said.
Makinde expressed confidence in the calibre of members appointed to serve on the panel, urging them to discharge their responsibilities with fairness, diligence and patriotism in the interest of justice and public confidence.
“Let me again appreciate the distinguished men and women who have agreed to serve on this Commission and wish them wisdom and success on this important assignment,” he added.
The commission is chaired by retired Justice of the Court of Appeal, Justice M. A. O. Owoade, and has as members Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, Mrs. Ayo Obe, retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Ngozi Onadeko, Barr. Abimbola Orogade, retired Major General S. N. Muazu, and retired Director of the Department of State Services Folorunsho Osunrayi. Barrister Olamide Sandra Tella will serve as Secretary to the panel.
The inauguration follows Makinde’s earlier call for an independent investigation into the Oriire abduction shortly after the victims regained their freedom. At the time, the governor argued that the circumstances surrounding the attack and the prolonged captivity of the victims warranted scrutiny beyond celebrations over their rescue.
Makinde had maintained that the incident was “sufficiently grave and unusual” to require a transparent inquiry capable of answering critical questions about how the abduction occurred, the response of security agencies and whether any institutional failures contributed to the incident.
His position later received the backing of the Oyo State House of Assembly, which said a comprehensive investigation would help strengthen the state’s security architecture and improve public confidence.
The Oriire school abduction, which occurred on May 15, sparked widespread outrage across the country after gunmen invaded schools in the area and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers.
The incident triggered weeks of coordinated security operations involving the military, intelligence agencies, the police, Amotekun Corps and local hunters before the victims were rescued in a joint operation.
The Federal Government had described the rescue as an intelligence-led multi-agency operation carried out without conceding to the demands of the abductors, while the victims were placed under medical observation and psychological care before being reunited with their families.
Observers say the work of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry is expected to complement ongoing security reforms by identifying lessons from the Oriire incident, recommending measures to strengthen school safety, improve emergency response mechanisms and enhance coordination among security agencies to prevent future attacks on educational institutions across Oyo State.
