Makinde receives Oriire report, promises action on security lapses

By Adejayan Gbenga

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has received the report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the abduction of students and teachers at Oriire Community in Olorunsogo Local Government Area, promising action on identified security lapses.

According to a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Makinde gave the assurance on Tuesday while receiving the report from the commission’s Chairman, Justice (Prof.) Mojeed Owoade (rtd.), at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

The governor said his administration would thoroughly examine the recommendations and would not hide behind confidentiality to avoid accountability, adding that the incident had tested the security architecture built by the state over the years.

He said the government had strengthened emergency response and coordination among security agencies through the operationalisation of the 615 toll-free emergency number, refurbishment and expansion of the City Watch and Security Control Room, and a communication system linking the police, Amotekun, Operation Burst and other relevant services.

Makinde said the successful rescue of the victims could not be the only measure of the government’s response, stressing the need to establish what went wrong, what could have prevented the attack and how schools could be better protected.

He commended security personnel and other stakeholders involved in the rescue operation, including the Operational Coordination Centre, Amotekun, hunters, vigilantes, the military, police and intelligence services, while acknowledging the roles of the directors of the Department of State Services in Oyo and Lagos states.

Presenting the report, Owoade said the commission inspected the crime scenes, affected schools and surrounding bushes and held public hearings in Ikoyi-Ile, Ogbomoso and Ibadan, where it received evidence from 72 witnesses, including victims, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, experts and other stakeholders.

He said the recommendations focused on strengthening preventive security through improved intelligence gathering and cooperation among security agencies and government institutions, covering the state and local governments as well as joint Federal-State action, including a review of laws and management of forest reserves, particularly the Old Oyo National Park.