‘Makinde govt staged Oyo school abduction to blackmail Tinubu’ – Fayose

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has accused the Oyo State Government of using the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in the state to blackmail President Bola Tinubu.

Fayose made the allegation while speaking on a television programme, where he questioned the response of Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration to the attack.

The pupils and teachers were abducted during an attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday, May 15, 2026.

The incident sparked national outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of schools across the country.

President Tinubu later sent a high-powered Federal Government delegation to the affected communities and assured residents that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the victims.

But Fayose said the Oyo State Government should have acted faster instead of allowing the matter to become a political weapon against the Federal Government.

According to him, state and local governments also have responsibilities in dealing with security matters within their domains.

“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,” Fayose said.

The former governor claimed that Makinde did not respond promptly to the abduction, alleging that political activities were prioritised while families of the victims were in distress.

He said the governor only visited the affected families after concluding political nominations.

“In Oyo State, I strongly believe though I might be wrong but this sometimes can be orchestrated. The governor of Oyo State had his nomination and that of his candidates in the face of this abduction,” Fayose 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 then alleged that the abduction may have been arranged to embarrass Tinubu and make the Federal Government look bad.

“I can sometimes believe that the abduction at Oyo School was orchestrated by the Oyo State Government to blackmail President Tinubu,” he said.

The allegation is expected to trigger fresh political controversy, especially as insecurity and the 2027 elections continue to dominate national discussion.

Fayose’s comment also comes amid rising political exchanges between the ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition figures in the South-West.

Neither Makinde nor the Oyo State Government had responded to Fayose’s allegation at the time of filing this report.

The Oyo abduction has continued to draw reactions from politicians, civil society groups, teachers and security analysts, with renewed calls for stronger protection of schools and communities.