Oyo State Initiates Probe into School Kidnapping Incident

Oyo State Government has established a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the kidnapping of students and teachers from Esinele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area, which occurred on May 15, 2026.

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This development was announced in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, on Thursday, which was made available to The PUNCH, and the commission is set to be inaugurated on Friday at the Executive Council Chamber, Governor’s Office, in Ibadan, the state capital.

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According to Oyelade, the commission's primary objective is to investigate the abduction and provide suitable recommendations, as it seeks to understand the events surrounding the incident.

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Oyelade noted that Governor Seyi Makinde had previously vowed to set up an independent inquiry into the incident during a statewide broadcast after the release of the abducted students and teachers, and had also invited the United Nations to intervene and investigate the 56-day kidnapping episode.

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The establishment of the judicial commission of inquiry underscores the government's dedication to exposing the truth behind the abduction and bolstering measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again.