SUNTV Global Channel
Former Anambra State Governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s handling of the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, arguing that stronger presidential leadership was needed during the crisis.
Speaking during an interview on Afia TV’s State of the Nation, Obi said he would have personally taken charge of efforts to rescue the victims if he were president, insisting that he would have remained actively involved until everyone held captive was freed.
The abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when dozens of pupils and teachers were kidnapped from a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The victims spent about 56 days in captivity before they were rescued by security operatives in July.
Obi alleged that President Tinubu did not personally contact Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde throughout the period the victims were held, arguing that national leaders should demonstrate visible leadership during major security emergencies.
According to the former governor, tackling insecurity requires decisive action, clear leadership and direct accountability. He also criticised what he described as a lack of transparency in Nigeria’s security operations, calling for greater public disclosure of successful operations against criminal groups.
Drawing from his experience as Governor of Anambra State, Obi said he adopted a hands-on approach to combating crime, including authorising operations against criminal hideouts in forests, adding that leaders must be prepared to take responsibility for difficult security decisions.
His comments come amid ongoing national discussions over insecurity and the role of political leaders in responding to mass abductions and violent crimes across the country.
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has called for an independent international investigation into the Oriire school abduction, arguing that a broader inquiry would help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, strengthen accountability and restore public confidence.
