Former Ekiti governor Ayodele Fayose has accused the Oyo State Government of staging the recent kidnapping of pupils and teachers to embarrass President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking on television, Fayose questioned Oyo’s reaction to the abductions and suggested politics shaped the response. The kidnappings in some Oyo local government areas on Friday drew national attention and prompted a federal response. President Tinubu sent a high‑powered delegation to the affected communities and promised efforts to free the victims.
Fayose said state governments should own local security problems instead of shifting blame to Abuja. “Let me branch to Oyo State, before you get to the president in the hierarchy of leadership and governance, there is local government, there is state, state has security votes and there are people that are supposed to be working,” he said.
He accused Governor Seyi Makinde of putting nominations ahead of urgent action. “In Oyo State, I strongly believe though I might be wrong but this sometimes might be orchestrated. The governor of Oyo State had his nomination and that of his candidates in the face of this abduction,” he said. “He did not take any action, no steps were taken, it was after those nominations that he went to the families to visit them.”
Fayose added: “I sometimes believe that the abduction at Oyo School was orchestrated by the Oyo State Government to blackmail President Tinubu.”
There was no immediate response from Governor Makinde or the Oyo State Government. The case has sparked calls from political and security figures for tougher measures to protect schools.
