Oyo Gov Makinde Announces Major Security Loss Amid Oriire Children Abduction, Video Trends
- Governor Seyi Makinde has confirmed the death of an unnamed Nigerian Army lieutenant in the Oriire rescue efforts
- Protests erupted in Ibadan, Oyo state, demanding the release of kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers
- Governor Makinde vowed that the infamous Oyo school kidnappings would not become another Chibok abduction scenario
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering security matters and counter-insurgency in Nigeria and Africa.
Ibadan, Oyo state - Seyi Makinde, the governor of Oyo, on Tuesday, June 16, announced that a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army was recently killed amid ongoing efforts to rescue the kidnapped Oriire schoolchildren and teachers.
He made the disclosure while addressing protesters led by activist and social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), in Ibadan.
Source: Facebook
It would be recalled that on Friday, May 15, gunmen suspected to be members of a Boko Haram faction attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA), abducting 39 pupils and seven teachers, including the principal of one of the affected schools.
At the time, a joint rescue operation by soldiers, police and local vigilantes was disrupted after they encountered improvised explosive devices planted by the attackers, leaving several wounded. Those injured received treatment, according to Al Jazeera.
Days later, one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was killed in captivity.
The incident has triggered widespread outrage on social media and sparked protests demanding the release of the victims.
On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, one month after the abduction, hundreds of protesters led by VDM marched through major roads in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, before converging on the Government House.
Oriire: Army lieutenant killed
Addressing the demonstrators, Makinde said security agencies are conducting a delicate operation aimed at securing the victims’ release without casualties, according to The Cable.
He also assured concerned Nigerians that the Oriire abduction will not become another Chibok scenario.
Legit.ng reports that of the 276 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in 2014, between 82 and 91 are still estimated to be in captivity or unaccounted for. While over 180 have either escaped or been freed, progress on recovering the remaining victims has largely stalled in recent years, per Amnesty International.
The 2027 presidential hopeful disclosed that a Nigerian army lieutenant was killed during ongoing operations to rescue the abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo state. He, however, did not disclose details of the operation that resulted in the death of the army officer.
“First, let me make it very, very clear: Oyo state is not Chibok, and it will not be Chibok.
“We have lost men, even soldiers, officers. I can confirm to you that a lieutenant in the Nigerian army was killed a few days ago. So if you ask me, if you ask me, can I sacrifice myself for those children to come out, I will do it. I have lived a good life. I'm almost 60. It doesn't matter. My own father died at 76."
He added:
“What we want to do is. This is Oyo state. They know that this is not Chibok, and our children will never be in the same situation as the Chibok children. We're doing everything possible, including what you've suggested. But if there's potential for needless loss of lives…We've lost a teacher already. If we can avoid losing more, we will avoid losing more. But if we get to the point that certain people have to be sacrificed, including myself, we will do it.”
Governor Makinde’s trending video can be watched below via X:
Source: Twitter
Oyo strike: Stakeholders raise concerns
Meanwhile, the indefinite strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo state chapter, has continued to raise concerns among parents and education stakeholders over its impact on pupils and students.
Some parents and teachers who spoke with Legit.ng said the prolonged closure of public schools has left many children idle, exposed to negative influences, and disrupted their academic activities.
A teacher, Mrs Ademola Janet, advised:
"People should be interested in mentoring children around them and engaging them meaningfully with books, sports and other productive activities so that their minds will be occupied with positive ideas rather than fraudulent ones."
A parent living in the Alakia area of Ibadan, Mrs Bolakale Lawal, said many children now spend their time playing football, singing and engaging in other leisure activities.
She said parents in her neighbourhood had adopted a community approach to child supervision during the strike.
Lawal said:
“What we do in my neighbourhood is watch over the children and ensure they are safe because not all parents can stay at home.
“Parents usually leave instructions for their wards before going to work to play safe and avoid fighting."
In the same vein, Sekinat Adejumo, who lives in Igboora, in Ibarapa Central LGA of Oyo state, said her children spent most of their day playing after completing household chores.
The parent said:
“We are not happy that our children are at home when they ought to be in school, but there is nothing we can do about it."
VDM ready to rescue Oriire pupils
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that VDM expressed his readiness to confront the outlaws responsible for the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo state in May.
Speaking during a protest aimed at pressuring authorities to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers, VDM urged Governor Makinde not to be intimidated by the kidnappers, insisting that criminals thrive when fear takes hold. He warned that if terrorists are allowed to operate unchecked, they could eventually impose levies on farmers in Oyo state as a condition for accessing their own farmlands.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
