Oriire school children Abduction: Why Governor Seyi Makinde Inaugurates a Judicial Commission of Inquiry
The Governor f Oyo State Engr. Seyi Makinde on Friday inaugurated a judicial panel of inquiry into the Oriire school children and teachers abduction.
Today, we inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Oriire Abduction. As I said in my remarks during the inauguration, the assignment of this Commission is to establish the facts, identify any institutional or operational lapses, recommend measures that will strengthen the protection of our schools and communities, and help ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.
44 teachers and children kidnapped in three schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire LGA were released on July 10 after 56 days in captivity of the bandit terrorists.
Seyi Makinde while speaking in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at the inauguration of an 8-man Judicial Conmission of Inquiry into the Abduction, affirmed that accountability and reform restore public confidence and help prevent a recurrence.
"Let me again appreciate the distinguished men and women who have agreed to serve on this Commission and wish them wisdom and success on this important assignment."
The Eight members committee include:
• Hon Justice M. A. O. Owoade, JCA (Retd) – Chairman
• Prof Jibrin Ibrahim
• Mrs Ayo Obe
• AIG Ngozi Onadeko (Retd)
• Barr. Abimbola Orogade
• Maj. Gen. S. N. Muazu (Retd)
• Mr Folorinsho Osunrayi (Director DSS – Retd)
The Secretary of this Commission of Inquiry is Barr (Mrs) Olamide Sandra Tella.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Makinde emphasis that the call was about “ensuring that every lesson is learnt, and every question that deserves an answer is answered.”
“So it was for this reason that I called on the international community to support an independent examination of the circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.
Mr Makinde added that the government’s duty did not end with the victims’ rescue, “though rescue brings relief, truth brings closure.”
“This judicial commission of inquiry represents our commitment to that responsibility,” he said.
The governor explained that the commission’s assignment was to establish the facts, identify any institutional or operational lapses, and recommend measures that will strengthen the protection of schools and communities.
“And help to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again,” he said.
Mr Makinde had called on the United Nations and other international human rights and accountability bodies to examine the circumstances surrounding the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.
He said while the victims had regained their freedom, the circumstances surrounding the incident were “sufficiently grave and unusual” to warrant an independent review.
Mr Makinde said the incident raised questions that require independent scrutiny beyond Nigeria’s domestic institutions.
He made the call in a statewide broadcast hours after the Nigerian military formally handed over the rescued pupils and teachers to the state government following their release after 56 days in captivity.
The Oyo State House of Assembly threw its weight behind Mr Makinde’s call for the independent international investigation into the abduction.
However, the Nigerian Senate rejected the governor’s request for foreign intervention in the matter, arguing that the incident was a domestic security matter that should be handled within Nigeria.
At the inaguration of the judicial commission of inquiry on the abduction on Friday, Mr Makinde charged all members of the commission to bring their decades of experience, integrity, and public service to bear on the assignment before them.
He also advised them to let their work “be guided only by the evidence, the law, and the public interest.
“The people of our state, and indeed Nigerians, expect nothing less than an impartial, credible process,” he said.
The governor, who gave the commission four weeks to complete the assignment, urged members to feel free to come back to him if they require additional time to ensure that “no stone is left unturned.”
He promised to provide every support required for the commission to carry out its assignment independently and professionally.
Mr Makinde also called on individuals, institutions, and relevant agencies to cooperate fully by making available any information that would assist the commission in arriving at the truth.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the inauguration, the commission’s chairman, retired Justice Mojeed Owoade, pledged that the commission would carry out the assignment with all sense of responsibility.
Mr Owoade added that transparency and diligence to uncover the truth would be the commission’s watchwords.
In a country where insecurity is ravaging inform of Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, banditry and kidnapping gangs making lives and properties of the citizens unsecured with the State apparatus in terms of both political and security operatives remained deliberately ineffective, Oyo State Governor is doing the right thing.
What do you think?
Photos from the event :
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The Governor f Oyo State Engr. Seyi Makinde on Friday inaugurated a judicial panel of inquiry into the Oriire school children and teachers abduction.
Today, we inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the Oriire Abduction. As I said in my remarks during the inauguration, the assignment of this Commission is to establish the facts, identify any institutional or operational lapses, recommend measures that will strengthen the protection of our schools and communities, and help ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.
44 teachers and children kidnapped in three schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire LGA were released on July 10 after 56 days in captivity of the bandit terrorists.
Seyi Makinde while speaking in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at the inauguration of an 8-man Judicial Conmission of Inquiry into the Abduction, affirmed that accountability and reform restore public confidence and help prevent a recurrence.
"Let me again appreciate the distinguished men and women who have agreed to serve on this Commission and wish them wisdom and success on this important assignment."
The Eight members committee include:
• Hon Justice M. A. O. Owoade, JCA (Retd) – Chairman
• Prof Jibrin Ibrahim
• Mrs Ayo Obe
• AIG Ngozi Onadeko (Retd)
• Barr. Abimbola Orogade
• Maj. Gen. S. N. Muazu (Retd)
• Mr Folorinsho Osunrayi (Director DSS – Retd)
The Secretary of this Commission of Inquiry is Barr (Mrs) Olamide Sandra Tella.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Makinde emphasis that the call was about “ensuring that every lesson is learnt, and every question that deserves an answer is answered.”
“So it was for this reason that I called on the international community to support an independent examination of the circumstances surrounding the incident,” he said.
Mr Makinde added that the government’s duty did not end with the victims’ rescue, “though rescue brings relief, truth brings closure.”
“This judicial commission of inquiry represents our commitment to that responsibility,” he said.
The governor explained that the commission’s assignment was to establish the facts, identify any institutional or operational lapses, and recommend measures that will strengthen the protection of schools and communities.
“And help to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again,” he said.
Mr Makinde had called on the United Nations and other international human rights and accountability bodies to examine the circumstances surrounding the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.
He said while the victims had regained their freedom, the circumstances surrounding the incident were “sufficiently grave and unusual” to warrant an independent review.
Mr Makinde said the incident raised questions that require independent scrutiny beyond Nigeria’s domestic institutions.
He made the call in a statewide broadcast hours after the Nigerian military formally handed over the rescued pupils and teachers to the state government following their release after 56 days in captivity.
The Oyo State House of Assembly threw its weight behind Mr Makinde’s call for the independent international investigation into the abduction.
However, the Nigerian Senate rejected the governor’s request for foreign intervention in the matter, arguing that the incident was a domestic security matter that should be handled within Nigeria.
At the inaguration of the judicial commission of inquiry on the abduction on Friday, Mr Makinde charged all members of the commission to bring their decades of experience, integrity, and public service to bear on the assignment before them.
He also advised them to let their work “be guided only by the evidence, the law, and the public interest.
“The people of our state, and indeed Nigerians, expect nothing less than an impartial, credible process,” he said.
The governor, who gave the commission four weeks to complete the assignment, urged members to feel free to come back to him if they require additional time to ensure that “no stone is left unturned.”
He promised to provide every support required for the commission to carry out its assignment independently and professionally.
Mr Makinde also called on individuals, institutions, and relevant agencies to cooperate fully by making available any information that would assist the commission in arriving at the truth.
Speaking with journalists shortly after the inauguration, the commission’s chairman, retired Justice Mojeed Owoade, pledged that the commission would carry out the assignment with all sense of responsibility.
Mr Owoade added that transparency and diligence to uncover the truth would be the commission’s watchwords.
In a country where insecurity is ravaging inform of Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, banditry and kidnapping gangs making lives and properties of the citizens unsecured with the State apparatus in terms of both political and security operatives remained deliberately ineffective, Oyo State Governor is doing the right thing.
What do you think?
Photos from the event :
7
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