• FG, NASS, lawyers reject international investigation into Oyo school abduction
• Oyo Assembly, HURIWA, rights activists back governor, insist transparency will
strengthen security
• UN does not interfere in domestic affairs, Jimoh Ibrahim tells Makinde

The controversy surrounding Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s call for a United Nations-backed investigation into the abduction and rescue of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area has sharply divided political leaders, lawyers, civil society organisations and human rights advocates over the appropriate response to the incident.

While the Federal Government, the Senate, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and senior lawyers insist that Nigeria possesses the constitutional and institutional capacity to investigate the incident without foreign intervention, the Oyo State House of Assembly, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and several civil society advocates argued that an independent international inquiry would strengthen public confidence, improve accountability and expose possible security lapses.

Makinde had, on Monday, called on the United Nations and relevant international human rights bodies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the May 15 abduction of school children and teachers in Oriire LGA, describing the incident as sufficiently grave and unusual to warrant independent scrutiny.

According to the governor, the request was not intended to undermine Nigerian institutions but to establish the truth, ensure accountability and restore public confidence that every Nigerian child can attend school without fear.

The Presidency, however, dismissed the proposal as unnecessary and politically motivated, with the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, maintaining that the military had already explained the circumstances surrounding the rescue operation.

The Senate also distanced itself from the governor’s position, commending the Armed Forces and other security agencies for rescuing the victims after nearly two months in captivity and warning against politicising a successful military operation.

During plenary on Tuesday, lawmakers paid tribute to security personnel killed during the rescue mission and urged President Bola Tinubu to intensify military operations against terrorists while improving the welfare, equipment and benefits of security personnel.

The Senate observed a minute silence in honour of Lieutenant F.A. Isaac, Private Silas Musa and Sergeant Abena John Jerome, while also recognising the courage of Lance Corporal Adamu Hussain, who sustained injuries during the operation.

Former Edo State governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, argued that questioning the rescue operation undermined the sacrifices of the Armed Forces and the Federal Government’s efforts against terrorism.

The Senate also called for increased investment in military hardware, intelligence gathering and personnel welfare to strengthen ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

As part of its resolutions, the upper chamber urged the Federal Government to immediately settle all outstanding death benefits, insurance claims, pensions and other entitlements due to the families of security personnel who paid the ultimate price in defence of the nation.

It maintained that honouring fallen heroes and adequately supporting serving personnel would boost morale and reinforce the country’s determination to defeat terrorism.

Similarly, the Oyo State chapter of the APC has condemned the call, describing Makinde’s request as “shameful, shocking and unbecoming.”

The party accused the governor of politicising insecurity and of displaying ignorance of international law, particularly the provisions of the United Nations Charter on state sovereignty.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC described Makinde’s outburst as a height of ineptitude, cluelessness and grandstanding, urging the governor to be “circumspect, decorous and statesman-like in his politicking even as he prepares to leave power in about 10 months.

The opposition party also challenged the governor to account for several unresolved issues in Oyo State rather than seek external intervention.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr Monday Ubani, also questioned the legality of inviting any foreign organisation to investigate criminal activities within Nigeria.

According to him, kidnapping remains a criminal offence that falls squarely within the jurisdiction of Nigerian authorities, adding that if a governor suspects political undertones, he could establish a state panel of inquiry or request the Federal Government to constitute a judicial commission of inquiry.

“I don’t see the legality or even the possibility of inviting another foreign body to investigate crime in Nigeria,” Ubani said, stressing that the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and other constitutionally recognised agencies remain empowered to investigate such offences.

Abuja-based lawyer Martins Almagani also maintained that any request by a state governor carries no binding legal effect under either Nigerian or international law.

He cited Article 2(7) of the UN Charter and Sections 4(2) and 5(2) of the 1999 Constitution, arguing that foreign affairs fall exclusively within the powers of the Federal Government.

Similarly, human rights lawyer, Dr Victor Oziegbe, described Makinde’s request as sensational and illogical.

He argued that Nigeria possesses credible investigative institutions and that domestic remedies should first be exhausted before any appeal is made to international organisations.

“I don’t know the information available to him, but irrespective of that, it doesn’t sound logical even in the face of the law.”

Oziegbe maintained that the proposal failed the test of reasonableness because it bypassed local institutions established by law to investigate criminal offences.

On the other hand, support for Makinde’s position continued to grow among civil society groups and rights advocates.

The Oyo State House of Assembly unanimously endorsed the governor’s call, insisting that an international inquiry would help establish the facts surrounding the abduction, identify possible security lapses and recommend measures to prevent future attacks on schools.

The Assembly rejected suggestions that the governor’s request amounted to a vote of no confidence in the Federal Government, noting that Makinde had consistently acknowledged the efforts of President Tinubu, the Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, the Police, NSCDC, Amotekun Corps and other security stakeholders whose coordinated operations secured the victims’ release.

The Office of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, in a statement, described the growing spate of school abductions as a national emergency requiring both domestic and international collaboration.

“Mass abduction of schoolchildren has become a disturbing pattern in Nigeria. If our collective efforts as a country have not been sufficient to end this menace, it is only appropriate to invite the relevant UN agency to investigate the unusual circumstances surrounding the Oyo State case and to make recommendations to help prevent a recurrence. Enough is enough,” the statement said.

The lawmakers argued that terrorism has increasingly assumed a transnational character, making international cooperation necessary in developing effective counter-terrorism strategies.

Also, HURIWA threw its weight behind the governor, urging President Tinubu to invite the United Nations, the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other internationally respected investigative bodies to independently examine the circumstances surrounding the 56-day captivity of the victims and their eventual rescue.

The association questioned the Presidency’s opposition to external scrutiny, insisting that transparency should reinforce rather than weaken public confidence.

“If the Federal Government has nothing to hide, why is it uncomfortable with an independent investigation?” HURIWA asked, while demanding explanations on several aspects of the rescue operation, including the identities of arrested suspects and the handling of traumatised victims after their release.

In addition, the Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, also defended Makinde, arguing that declining public confidence in domestic institutions had fuelled demands for independent investigations.

According to him, Nigeria’s status as a sovereign nation does not prevent citizens from seeking international intervention where confidence in local institutions has eroded.

Similarly, Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Dr Festus Ogwuche, said the scale of killings and insecurity across Nigeria deserved greater international attention, insisting that states and citizens retain the right to petition the United Nations on issues involving human rights and humanitarian concerns.

According to him, the UN ought to invoke appropriate international mechanisms, including the International Criminal Court, where necessary, to examine allegations relating to widespread violence.

Ogwuche criticised what he described as the UN’s lukewarm response to Nigeria’s security crisis despite persistent reports of mass killings.

He nevertheless maintained that citizens and governments retain the right to approach international institutions on matters involving humanitarian and human rights concerns.

As the controversy intensifies, the dispute is also exposing growing political and legal divisions over how the country should confront its worsening insecurity while maintaining public trust in its institutions.

Reacting to the call, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, rejected the proposal, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) threw its weight behind the governor.

Ibrahim maintained that the United Nations has no mandate to intervene in the domestic affairs of sovereign member states, insisting that internal security matters remain the constitutional responsibility of national and sub-national governments.

In a statement issued by his media office in New York, the Nigerian envoy said the global body was not empowered to investigate domestic security incidents such as the recent abduction in Oyo State.

He urged Makinde to focus on strengthening security within the state and supporting victims of the attack rather than seeking intervention from the international organisation.

While congratulating Nigerians and security agencies on the successful rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers, Ibrahim called on the governor to publicly apologise to the victims and their teachers.

According to him, such a gesture would demonstrate empathy, accountability and responsible leadership in the aftermath of the incident.

The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs also urged the Oyo State Government to provide adequate support to the families of any teachers who may have lost their lives during the abduction.

He further stressed that security should be treated as a shared responsibility, calling on state governments across the country to invest more in preventive security measures, deepen collaboration with security agencies and prioritise the protection of schools.

Ibrahim, who chairs the United Nations Fifth Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Matters, said ensuring safe learning environments for children must remain a priority for governments at all levels.

In contrast, the opposition Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) endorsed the call for an independent UN investigation.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the party described the proposal as a necessary step towards establishing the truth and restoring public confidence.

According to the NDC, the circumstances surrounding the abduction had raised serious concerns that required a transparent, impartial and credible investigation.

The party said a UN-backed inquiry would help uncover the facts, ensure accountability and secure justice for the victims and their families.

It stressed that Governor Makinde’s request was not politically motivated but aimed at ensuring that every question surrounding the incident was answered through an independent process Nigerians could trust.

The NDC urged the Federal Government to embrace every legitimate effort to uncover the truth, strengthen confidence in security institutions, and prevent similar tragedies in the future.

It maintained that the safety and security of Nigerian children should never become a subject of political disagreement, adding that the lives of schoolchildren deserve the highest level of accountability.

The party argued that an independent investigation would not only clarify the circumstances surrounding the abduction but also reinforce public trust in the country’s security and justice systems.