Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has pointed out a striking timeline regarding the mass abduction of students and teachers in Oriire, noting that the attack took place only hours after he formally entered the 2027 presidential race.

Speaking on Friday, July 10, 2026, at a political meeting in Bauchi alongside Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and figures from the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Makinde reflected on the security breach. He highlighted that his administration had maintained a clean record regarding school abductions for seven years, making the timing of the raid highly conspicuous.

According to the governor, he officially declared his presidential bid at 4:00 pm on May 14, 2026, aiming to “reset Nigeria” under a collaborative banner. By 9:00 am the very next morning, May 15, terrorists struck three schools in the state. Makinde eventually secured the presidential ticket of the APM as its consensus candidate later that month.

In a twist of timing, shortly after Makinde raised the issue in Bauchi, the Presidency broke the news that the remaining captive students and teachers had been liberated after 56 days in the forest.

A combined operation by the military, police, and the Department of State Services (DSS) successfully rescued the hostages without yielding to the terrorists’ demands, which included a financial payout and the release of an indicted bandit chief. The tactical assault resulted in the elimination of several kidnappers and the arrest of eight suspects currently being interrogated by the DSS.

Following the successful mission, Governor Makinde expressed deep gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the national security apparatus, calling the end of the 56-day hostage crisis an immense relief for the affected families and the entire population of Oyo State.