‘I will name politicians backing Oyo schoolchildren Kidnappers!’ – Sunday Igboho

Yoruba nationalist and security activist Sunday Igboho has accused unnamed politicians of backing the armed gangs behind the Oriire school abductions in Oyo State, warning he will publicly reveal their identities if the support continues.

Igboho spoke on Wednesday during a discussion with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) President, amid growing anger over the kidnapping of pupils and teachers in the state’s Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026.

At least 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted during the attack on multiple schools, and one teacher was confirmed killed after a video of the incident surfaced.

The ordeal has fuelled protests by teachers’ unions and youth groups demanding urgent government action, while public outrage has intensified across communities affected by the security crisis.

Igboho claimed he has the capacity to rescue the captives but has been blocked by the Oyo State Government.

“Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde knows I have the capacity to rescue the Oriire kidnapping victims, so why hasn’t he granted me permission?” Igboho said. “I established the ‘Iru Ekun’ Security Network with Federal Government approval, but the state government disapproved.”

He also accused political actors of financing and arming the bandits.

“These terrorists are not aliens; they have the backup of some politicians. They are the ones giving them money and ammunitions. And if the politicians behind them don’t stop, I am going to name all of them because I know them,” he said, adding: “They are trying to do what they did to Jonathan to Tinubu.”

Igboho further vowed that if given authority, he would confront the kidnappers directly.

“If I’m given the opportunity to face these bandits… I’ll flush them out,” he assured.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu condemned the abductions as “barbaric” and pledged federal support for rescue operations.

The President ordered the deployment of a specialised rescue team and approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to support security agencies in Oyo State.

A high‑powered federal delegation, including senior security officials, was dispatched to Oriire to coordinate efforts to secure the release of the pupils and teachers.

Governor Seyi Makinde also acknowledged that federal security operatives have been deployed in the state for weeks, working with state officials on rescue efforts.

Government and security sources say tactical and intelligence teams are combing forests and hinterland areas to locate the captives and apprehend their captors.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has called for urgent and decisive action to free the abducted pupils and teachers, describing their prolonged stay in captivity as “barbaric and unacceptable.”

Youth groups from Ogbomoso and neighbouring areas have also appealed to both federal and state governments to intensify efforts and secure the safe return of the victims.

The crisis has sparked widespread anxiety, with public school attendance dropping in some communities due to fear of further attacks.