Makinde’s Govt Orchestrated Oyo Abduction to Blackmail Tinubu’ — Fayose Alleges

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has alleged that the Oyo State Government may have orchestrated the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in parts of the state as part of a political plot to discredit President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Fayose made the claim during a televised interview, where he questioned the response of the Oyo State Government to the incident and suggested that political considerations may have influenced its handling.

The allegation comes in the wake of the kidnapping of pupils and teachers by gunmen in parts of Oyo State on Friday, an attack that triggered widespread concern and prompted federal intervention.

In response, the Federal Government deployed a high-level delegation to the affected communities and assured residents that security agencies were working to rescue the abducted victims safely.

Fayose, however, argued that state governments have primary responsibility for addressing local security challenges, insisting that Oyo State authorities should not deflect blame to the Federal Government.

He said, “Before you get to the president in the hierarchy of leadership, there is local government, there is state. The state has security votes and people who are supposed to be working.”

The former governor further accused Governor Seyi Makinde of failing to respond promptly to the incident, alleging that political activities took precedence over immediate crisis management.

“In Oyo State, I strongly believe, though I might be wrong, that this sometimes might be orchestrated,” Fayose said, suggesting that the abduction could have been politically motivated.

He also alleged that the incident may have been designed to create negative publicity for the Federal Government, although he acknowledged that his claims were speculative.

As of the time of filing this report, the Oyo State Government had not issued an official response to the allegations.

The abduction has continued to generate national debate, with growing calls for improved school security systems, stronger intelligence coordination, and more decisive action to prevent attacks on educational institutions across the country.