Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has pledged to act on the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the abduction of students and teachers at Oriire Community in Olorunsogo Local Government Area, saying the report must translate into concrete measures to prevent a recurrence.
Makinde made the commitment on Tuesday while receiving the report from the Chairman of the Commission, Justice (Prof.) Mojeed Owoade (retd.), at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.
The governor said the incident was a major test of the security architecture established by his administration, stressing that previous successes in reducing crime could not be used to excuse failures that exposed children and their families to danger.
According to him, the state had strengthened its security system through the activation of the 615 emergency toll-free line, expansion of the Security Control Room and improved coordination among the police, Amotekun, Operation Burst and other security agencies.
“Rescue cannot be the only measure of success. We must ask: What could have prevented the attack? What could have shortened the ordeal? What will make children safer in their schools?” Makinde said.
He commended the security agencies and other groups involved in the rescue operation, including Amotekun personnel, hunters, vigilantes, the military, police, intelligence services and federal security agencies.
Makinde said the inquiry was established to determine how the attack occurred, what intelligence was available, how security institutions responded and whether there were intelligence, administrative or operational failures.
He said the findings would guide decisions, assignment of responsibilities and measures whose implementation could be monitored by the public.
“This commission’s report will lead to decisions, assigning responsibilities, and progress that the public can follow. Our children’s safety must be the test of what changes,” the governor said.
The governor also linked the findings to his call for a broader security reset in Nigeria, arguing that effective security requires clearly defined systems capable of identifying failures and correcting them.
Presenting the report, Justice Owoade said the commission visited the crime scenes and affected schools and conducted public hearings in Ikoyi-Ile, Ogbomoso and Ibadan.
He disclosed that the commission heard 72 witnesses, including victims, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, experts and other stakeholders.
According to him, the report contains recommendations for the Oyo State Government, local governments, joint Federal-State action and the Federal Government.
Owoade identified the review of laws and management of forest reserves, particularly the Old Oyo National Park, as one of the major recommendations, stressing that the federal facility requires attention in the interest of security.
The commission chairman thanked Makinde for entrusting the panel with the assignment, noting that members undertook the exercise despite the politically charged atmosphere surrounding the incident.
The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Bayo Lawal; Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biodun Aikomo; security chiefs and representatives, members of the State Executive Council, traditional and religious leaders, as well as other stakeholders.
