I’m ready to risk my life to rescue Oriire abductees — Makinde

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has declared his readiness to make any sacrifice, including risking his own life, to secure the safe release of the school pupils and teachers recently abducted in the Oriire Local Government Area of Ogbomoso.

The governor made this commitment on Tuesday while addressing peaceful protesters at his private residence in Ikolaba, Ibadan.

The demonstration was led by activist and social commentator Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).

Responding to the demonstrators’ offers to assist in the rescue operation, Makinde expressed strong confidence in the state’s deployed security architecture, stating it remains fully capable of bringing the victims home safely with minimal casualties.

According to the governor, current intelligence indicates that no further casualties have been recorded among the hostages following the tragic killing of a Mathematics teacher during the initial ambush.

However, Makinde emphasized that if the standoff drags on, he will personally volunteer to join the rescue mission despite the inherent dangers.

He firmly maintained that paying ransoms or negotiating with bandits is not a viable strategy for the government.

The governor praised the protesters for maintaining order during their solidarity march, noting that public advocacy and civic engagement often motivate leaders and security agencies to act with greater urgency.

Earlier, Martins Vincent Otse explained that the solidarity walk was organized to complement the government’s rescue efforts and pressure authorities to reunite the victims with their families swiftly.

Otse also pledged that he and other youths are ready to volunteer on the frontlines in Oriire to help combat the rising wave of kidnapping and banditry across the country.