OPC, others slam Tinubu, Makinde over delay in freeing abducted Oyo students

The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), led by Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland Iba Gani Adams, along with several civil society organizations, has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde. The groups accuse the leaders of failing to secure the release of over 40 schoolchildren and their teachers nearly a month after their abduction.

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The government has not done well at all. I have said it before that Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, specifically gives the responsibility of protecting the lives and property of citizens to the government, both at the federal and state levels.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, Rauf Abiola, the OPC National Director of Communications, stated that the government has not done enough. He emphasized that Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution places the responsibility of protecting citizens' lives and property squarely on the federal and state governments. Abiola urged the governor to embrace assistance from groups like the OPC and called for swift action from South-West governors.

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So, if anything is happening at the state level, it is the responsibility of the governor to stand up and put all machinery in motion to ensure the issue is resolved. It is a constitutional responsibility of the governor.

Abiola highlighted the OPC's extensive network across Oyo State, with coordinators in every local government area and members assigned to secure schools. He suggested that the governor should utilize these resources to aid in resolving the crisis. The OPC believes that the government knows the whereabouts of the abductees and should act decisively.

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They are, in fact, the result of things we failed to address for a long time. The children you did not send to school, the people you did not provide jobs or social security for, an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.

Femi Adeyeye of the Take It Back Movement Nigeria described insecurity as a political issue stemming from policy failures. He argued that kidnappers, bandits, and terrorists are products of unaddressed societal problems, including lack of education and job opportunities. Adeyeye asserted that insecurity has evolved into an economic enterprise involving kidnappers, their suppliers, and negotiators, underscoring the need for the government to use its power to solve the problem.

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The insecurity we have today stems from policy failures. We have given political office holders power, so they should use that power to solve the problem. The real solution lies with the government. They know where these people are; they cannot tell us they do not know.