The Senate on Tuesday criticised Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his call for the United Nations (UN) and other international organisations to investigate the circumstances surrounding the recent abduction and rescue of schoolchildren in the state, describing the move as inconsistent with Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The criticism came during plenary when Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) condemned the governor’s position, arguing that domestic security matters should be handled by Nigeria’s institutions rather than external bodies.
“I read that Governor Seyi Makinde is calling on the United Nations to investigate the overall circumstances that surround the kidnapping. I thought that was unstatesmanlike. He was carrying partisan politics too far, and such an act should be condemned. Nigeria is a sovereign nation,” Oshiomhole said.
The former Edo State governor maintained that Nigeria has the constitutional and institutional capacity to investigate security incidents within its territory and warned against inviting international bodies into matters he described as purely domestic.
According to him, calls for external investigations into internal security challenges could erode public confidence in the country’s sovereignty and security institutions.
His remarks came as the Senate deliberated on the abduction and subsequent rescue of pupils and staff kidnapped from a school in Oyo State, with lawmakers commending the security agencies for securing their release while calling for stronger measures to prevent a recurrence.
The incident, which generated nationwide concern, renewed debate over the country’s security challenges and the effectiveness of existing mechanisms for protecting schools, particularly in the wake of a series of mass abductions recorded across different parts of the country in recent years.
Governor Makinde had, after the victims regained their freedom, called for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding both the abduction and the rescue operation.
While welcoming the efforts of security agencies in securing the victims’ release, the governor argued that several unanswered questions surrounding the incident warranted an impartial inquiry.
“We are inviting the United Nations and other credible international organisations to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident. Nigerians deserve to know exactly what happened, and the truth must come out,” Makinde had said.
The governor maintained that an independent investigation would help establish accountability, uncover any institutional lapses or possible complicity, and strengthen public confidence in the country’s security system.
His call, however, drew sharp criticism from Oshiomhole, who insisted that such matters should be addressed through Nigeria’s established institutions rather than by seeking international intervention.
The exchange reflects differing views over how best to ensure accountability in the handling of high-profile security incidents, even as concerns over insecurity continue to dominate national discourse