Sharia Demand By Kidnappers Is A Trap, OPU Warns

The Oodua Progressives Union has condemned reports that kidnappers holding schoolchildren abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are demanding the implementation of Sharia law alongside a ₦1 billion ransom for their release.

The group described the alleged demand as a deliberate attempt to destabilise the constitutional order and inflame religious and ethnic tensions in the state.

In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Alhaji Lukman Adedire, and Publicity Secretary, Victor Akingbayi, the socio-cultural organisation urged authorities and the public not to give legitimacy to what it called a “provocative and divisive” condition set by the abductors.

According to the OPU, such demands go beyond criminal negotiation and appear designed to create fear, confusion and mistrust among communities in Oyo State and beyond.

The group maintained that Nigeria’s constitution does not permit any form of coercion that seeks to impose religious legal systems on states without due democratic and legal processes.

It further warned that accepting or amplifying such demands could encourage criminal groups to introduce ideological or religious dimensions into kidnapping cases, thereby complicating rescue efforts.

The organisation called on security agencies to intensify operations aimed at securing the release of the abducted pupils and teachers, while also ensuring that those responsible are brought to justice.

OPU also appealed to community leaders and media organisations to verify information before dissemination in order to prevent misinformation that could worsen an already sensitive situation.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to the unity and stability of the South-West and Nigeria as a whole, stressing that criminality should not be linked to ethnic or religious identities.