Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that he is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice if it would guarantee the safe release of the 46 pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of the state on May 15.
The governor made the statement on Tuesday while addressing protesters led by social media activist and influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), at his private residence in Ikolaba, Ibadan.
The protest was organised over growing concerns about insecurity and the continued captivity of the abducted schoolchildren and their teachers.
Addressing the protesters, Makinde assured residents that his administration remained fully committed to securing the release of the victims and would not relent until they were safely reunited with their families.
“Let me make it very, very clear, Oyo State is not Chibok and we will not be Chibok,” the governor declared.
He revealed that security operatives involved in the rescue efforts had made significant sacrifices, including the loss of personnel in the line of duty.
“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 remark, Makinde said he would willingly put himself at risk if it would secure the freedom 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 stated.
The governor noted that authorities were handling the operation carefully to avoid further casualties, particularly after the reported killing of one of the abducted teachers.
“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 understanding for the concerns raised by the protesters, saying citizens have every right to demand accountability from government.
“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.
The governor acknowledged the limitations of state governments regarding the control of security agencies, noting that governors do not have direct authority over federal security formations despite being responsible for the welfare and safety of citizens.
“I will not shift blame. Our reality is that the state government is not in charge of all the security agencies,” he explained.
Makinde reiterated that security has remained a top priority of his administration since 2019, citing the establishment of the Amotekun Corps as part of efforts to strengthen local security architecture.
Earlier, VeryDarkMan said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to the plight of the abducted pupils and teachers while urging authorities to intensify rescue efforts.
He lamented the absence of clear information regarding the 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.
The activist also expressed fears over the welfare of the abducted children.
“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 stated.
According to him, the protesters are seeking concrete assurances from the government regarding ongoing efforts to rescue the victims and improve security across the state
