GOVERNOR Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that he is ready to sacrifice himself if necessary to secure the release of the 46 pupils and teachers abducted in Orire Local Government Area of the state on May 15.
News Point Nigeria reports that the governor also assured residents that Oyo State would never witness a tragedy similar to the infamous Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, insisting that every effort was being made to bring the victims home safely.
Makinde gave the assurance on Tuesday while addressing protesters led by social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), at his private residence in Ikolaba, Ibadan.
The protest was organised amid growing concerns over insecurity and recent kidnapping incidents across the state, particularly the abduction of schoolchildren and their teachers.
Addressing the demonstrators, the governor said his administration remained fully committed to securing the release of the victims and would spare no effort in achieving that objective.
“Let me make it very, very clear, Oyo State is not Chibok and we will not be Chibok,” Makinde declared.
The governor disclosed that security operatives had made significant sacrifices in the ongoing rescue operation, including the loss of military personnel.
“We have lost men, even soldiers and officers, and I can confirm to you that a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army was killed a few days ago,” he said.
In an emotional appeal, Makinde stated that he was prepared to make personal sacrifices if doing so would guarantee the safe return of the abducted children.
“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 and it doesn’t matter. Our children will never be in the same situation as Chibok children,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the delicate and dangerous nature of the rescue mission, explaining that authorities were proceeding cautiously to prevent further 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,” he added.
Makinde also expressed support for the protesters’ right to demand accountability, noting that he understood their concerns and frustrations.
“If I am not in government, I will be you; I’ll be protesting with you. I do not have anything against what you are doing,” he said.
According to the governor, peaceful protests and civic engagement remain important tools for holding public officials accountable and ensuring responsive governance.
While accepting responsibility as the state’s chief executive, Makinde pointed to constitutional limitations regarding the control of security agencies by state governments.
“I will not shift blame. Our reality is that the state government is not in charge of all the security agencies,” he said.
He explained that although governors can engage and collaborate with security chiefs operating within their states, they do not possess direct authority to deploy federal security personnel.
The governor further reiterated that security has remained one of the major pillars of his administration since assuming office in 2019, citing the establishment of the Amotekun Corps as part of efforts to strengthen the state’s local security architecture.
Earlier, VeryDarkMan said the protest was aimed at putting pressure on authorities to intensify efforts toward rescuing the abducted pupils and teachers.
The activist expressed concern over the lack of public information regarding the welfare and condition of the victims and criticised the prolonged delay in securing their freedom.
“We are here to also commit ourselves. If the governor does not amend, we are ready to volunteer ourselves to go into the bushes with the police, army, air force and any security operatives that are ready,” he said.
According to him, many residents remain deeply anxious because there has been little information about the children’s condition since their abduction.
“As of now, we do not even know the condition of the children. We do not know if the children are still alive. Over 45 of them were taken into the bush with their teachers, and one of the teachers has been beheaded. It is quite unfortunate,” he said.
VeryDarkMan added that the protesters were seeking concrete assurances from the government regarding the status of ongoing rescue efforts and the safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers.