Good News from Oriire, and Lessons from Endless Insecurity By Taiwo Adisa, PhD

The much-awaited good news hit the airwaves on Friday, July 10 — exactly 56 days after toddlers, students, and their teachers were kidnapped in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State — as the victims regained their freedom.

Apprehension among friends, family, and the Ogbomoso community had been at fever pitch since the abduction. Security operatives worked through sleepless nights. Communication between men on the field and their command centres in Abuja and Ibadan was relentless. In and out of uniform, they scoured the forest area around the Old Oyo National Park, disrupting the usual evening calm. The vast forest was denied the serenity of its evenings as the jackboots of military and security agents combed it for the kidnapped victims. It was a relentless search — and one worth every effort and every boot on the ground.

A post on X by presidential spokesman Mr. Bayo Onanuga confirmed the release on Friday, declaring that all the victims had been returned to Ogbomoso.

A video later surfaced showing the gallant soldiers, policemen, DSS operatives, NSCDC, and others who took part in the rescue operation. The people of Ogbomoso instinctively lined the road, flashing smiles and waving in appreciation as the long convoy passed. As trucks and armoured personnel carriers screeched onto the streets of Ogbomoso, the joy on people’s faces became unmistakable. Shouts of “Ekaabo” rent the air, and many mouthed “thank you” in Yoruba. The vehicles made a colourful detour around the Takie axis of the town before heading to their respective destinations.

Before Onanuga’s post, the 2nd Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Odogbo Barracks, Ibadan, which coordinated the rescue, had issued a detailed statement. According to Lt. Colonel Danjumah Jonah Danjuman, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 2 Division, the rescue was the result of an intelligence-led operation.

He said: “Following a carefully planned and executed operation, on 10 July 2026, troops of the Nigerian Army, led by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General C.R. Nnebeife, in collaboration with special units from the Office of the National Security Adviser — specifically the National Counter Terrorism Centre — the Defence Headquarters, Special Forces from the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as local vigilantes, hunters, and Amotekun, rescued a total of 44 pupils and teachers kidnapped by terrorists from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on 15 May 2026.”

It was the end of a dangerous saga — and an unexpected twist in the sad story of insecurity in this country, as it marked the entry into the South-West of Boko Haram-style attacks on schools and kidnappings of schoolchildren, which have been rampant in the North since the 2014 abduction of Chibok girls in Borno State.
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Thankfully, the saga has ended, but the scars will remain. Beyond the trauma inflicted on the toddlers, pupils, and students, the incident also claimed the lives of two teachers whose only “offence” was choosing the noble profession of teaching the most vulnerable Nigerians — those in rural communities. The episode also leaves us with key lessons.

Exposing the failings of Amotekun

When Amotekun, the Western Nigeria Security Network, was formed, it was meant to fill a gap in the country’s security architecture. Against federal reservations under the presidency of General Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and his South-West counterparts pushed it through. The idea was to enhance local policing through a resource-control model: use of local human and material resources to secure the people.

The name Amotekun— cheetah — raised hopes of a fast, locally rooted initiative that could burrow into the jungle and root out insecurity. It was conceived as a supporting arm of the national security structure. In principle, recruits were to be local security operatives, hunters, and people with knowledge of traditional defence mechanisms. We assumed that such expertise had vanished with Western infiltration and religion into our societies. But if we look closely, we will still find people — often with little Western education — who possess it. The essence of Amotekun was to find those who could “keep watch over three locations at once,” like the fabled Baba Elepodudu of the Okelerin axis in Ogbomoso and others like him. As schoolboys who once breached the rules of not leaving a party venue in Okelerin, Ogbomoso, at anything from 12 midnight, Baba showed us hell for leaving a friend’s party when a fight broke out over one flimsy issue like that.

So what happened in the case of Amotekun? At inception, the corps missed its original purpose by recruiting through modern, technology-based processes rather than going through the grassroots as much as possible. I know that in some states, reports from teams that scouted the hinterlands for people with knowledge of local defence lines were set aside. In their place, some young men, who should possibly only serve as campaign hands during elections, got recruited instead.

The result: the corps became a regular force rather than the group with “esoteric” local knowledge its name implies. And it appears we are already seeing the consequences. Oyo State, which has the highest number of recruits, has lost 200 of its 2,500 Amotekun corps members to death since 2020.

Perhaps it is time to rethink the recruitment model and incorporate the real Amotekuns from the local communities to boost the corps’ effectiveness.

Federal Government’s motivation for security operatives is too low

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, said on Wednesday that the Federal Government had effected more than a 100 per cent increase in the take-home pay of the least-paid soldiers. According to him, Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000, up from the previous N49,000.

“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard; now he’s collecting N100,000,” Musa said in an interview on News Central Television. He added that the administration needed to increase the budget and improve military welfare. In the same interview, Musa advocated the death penalty for kidnappers as a deterrent.

“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know that once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he said.

I agree with the Minister on the death penalty for kidnappers, bandits, and insurgents. They pursue no just cause, and their actions benefit society in no way. But the interview also revealed something sad: soldiers who 7 To commit to paying the supreme price for one’s country is the highest form of nobility because life is irreplaceable. The greatest honour is to reward such a person while he is alive.

The Bible, in Ecclesiastes 3:22, says: “Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?” The lesson is clear: reward security personnel who have pledged to defend the country with good pay, because they cannot see what happens after they are gone.

Why should the least-paid Nigerian soldier earn N100,000? What does the lowest-paid staff in NNPC or CBN earn? That is the comparison we should make. And what of the hazards they face? Is there life insurance for soldiers? Are there plans to help them own cars and homes after service? These are questions the Defence Minister should put to the authorities. I suggest a minimum salary of N500,000 for the least-paid soldier, a life insurance package of not less than N10 million, and a three-bedroom bungalow in their hometown as part of retirement benefits. If we do that, we won’t need to beg youths from the South-East, South-West, and other zones to pick up military recruitment forms.

Still some unanswered questions on the Oriire kidnap saga

Kudos again to the military and other security agencies for the yeoman’s job of rescuing the Oriire victims. Nigerians were relieved to see them return. But some questions remain as we move forward. First: Is the state government fully primed to prevent a recurrence? What about the security operatives? Have they put measures in place to address this issue? The May 15 incident was not the first violent attack on the Old Oyo National Park. In January, bandits allegedly imported from the Kaiama axis of Kwara State invaded the park and killed forest guards. Because nothing was done, they returned in May to carry out a Chibok-style abduction, killing two teachers in the process. Another question is this: the students were kidnapped in their school uniforms, but they returned in different clothes. Where are their uniforms? Who took their measurements? And how come we suddenly saw the woman who was carrying a toddler wearing a hijab? Was she wearing a hijab in the previous pictures? At what point was it discovered that she wears hijab?

We also learnt that some arrests have been made. When will the media have access to the suspects? When will they be arraigned in open court?

We await further briefings from the NSA, DHQ, DSS, or 2 Mechanised Division, the local command theatre.

(Published by the Sunday Tribune, July 12, 2026.)

Lest We forget: With Makinde’s Reform, Pensioners Now Have A New Lease Of Life

by InsideOyo

July 7, 2026

By Sulaimon Olanrewaju On Tuesday, June 26, 2018 in Ibadan, the Oyo State High Court corridors were filled not with lawyers in crisp suits, but with weary and worried pensioners clutching faded documents. Their faces told stories of decades of service in classrooms and council offices, now overshadowed by years of waiting. It was the hearing of a suit filed by the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State Council, against the then governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and five other top officials of the state. The union had dragged the government before the High Court over ₦42.3 billion unpaid gratuities and pensions for retired primary school teachers and local government pensioners. The figure was staggering, but for the retirees, it was beyond mere numbers; it was meals they couldn’t afford, the medication they couldn’t access, the responsibilities they couldn’t meet, and the dignity they had lost. The union’s counsel, Lasun Sanusi (SAN), painted a grim picture of the pensioners’ plight before Justice Maruf Adegbola. He said: “Primary school teachers and local government pensioners are dying almost daily because they cannot afford medications for their health challenges.” The courtroom fell silent, the words echoing the desperation of thousands of senior citizens. Outside, the pensioners gathered in clusters, some leaning on walking sticks, others supported by their children. They spoke of promises broken, of agreements to pay arrears in instalments that never materialised. Representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress stood with them, amplifying their cries for justice. Speaking at a press conference, the then state chairman of the union, Comrade Gbadegesin Akande, said the decision to institute a suit against the governor and others was a consequence of the roguish disposition of the government towards pensioners’ welfare, which resulted in the hoary heads, who had invested their youthful years in the service of the state, being subjected to agonising hardship and excruciating denigration. He explained that their recourse to the courts became a Hobson’s choice following the failure of the government to attend to the series of letters that had been written, endless pleas that had been made, and even countless protests that the union had embarked upon to get the government to address its plight. But despite their resort to litigation, not much changed for the pensioners; pensions were still owed and gratuities were still unpaid. At another press conference jointly addressed by the Secretary of the NUP, Comrade Segun Abatan, and the Secretary of the Association of Retired Primary School Teachers, Comrade Tunji Ogunwale, on May 4, 2019, the duo lamented the plight of pensioners and accused the outgoing administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of owing N62.5bn in pensions and gratuities. Speaking at the press conference, Comrade Ogunwale said: “Today, Oyo State Government is owing us N62.5billion. That is the amount of gratuities left unpaid. I am personally being owed 35 months pension arrears. They are owing some of us 60 months, some 55 and some 40 months. It varies from eight to 60 months. He (Governor Ajimobi) has never paid anybody any gratuity in the last eight years. If we had not gone to court, that means he would not have deemed it fit to pay a dime for eight years.” So, for pensioners in Oyo State, up to May 2019, life was rough, tough and torturous. It was marked by hardship, uncertainty, and indignity. Many retirees who had served the state faithfully for decades suddenly found themselves struggling to survive, as their pensions and gratuities were either delayed or paid in fractions. The government owed billions in arrears, and the elderly were left to bear the brunt of financial neglect. Their plight became a recurring headline, with protests and court actions reflecting the depth of their suffering. For many of these senior citizens already in the twilight of their lives, with children already grown and independent, there was no steady support system. So, feeding became a major challenge and getting money to buy the needed medication for their ailments became a nightmare. Many retirees sold property to survive, and some even died while waiting for what was theirs. The situation robbed many of them of the dignity and honour of old age. They were forced into begging or, for those of them who could muster enough strength, taking up menial jobs as security guards or gatemen. But when Comrades Abatan and Ogunwale held the press conference in May 2019, little did they realise how close the pensioners were to the change they had always wanted. On the 29th of that month, while being inaugurated as the Executive Governor of Oyo State for the first tenure at the iconic Liberty Stadium, Engineer Seyi Makinde made a promise that no longer would pensions be delayed or paid in percentages in the state. He then donated his entire salary as governor to the state for pension payment. He also promised to clear the backlog of unpaid gratuities. That marked the beginning of the end of the woes that retired civil servants had been subjected to over the years. Governor Makinde kept his promise to the pensioners and began the implementation immediately. While full pensions were paid alongside workers’ salaries, the governor, in 2019, approved the release of ₦500m monthly for gratuity. This was later increased to N1bn monthly in 2024, N1.5bn in 2025, and eventually N3bn monthly in January 2026. Till date, over N25bn gratuity backlog has been cleared with almost 5,000 retirees benefiting. Makinde did not stop at that. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the governor approved the free enrolment of pensioners into the State Health Insurance Scheme, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to ensuring accessible and affordable healthcare for senior citizens. The governor also raised the minimum pension in the state to N25,000. In addition, Governor Makinde approved that all pension increases since 2007, such as the 33 percent pension increase of 2010 and the consequential adjustment of 2019, be factored into the pensions of affected pensioners. With that, Oyo State pensioners became the highest paid in the country. The consistency in pension payment and commitment to outstanding gratuity defrayment have transformed the life of many a pensioner. For many retirees, the moment they received their gratuity was life-changing. Mrs Modupe Akinola, a retired teacher said, “The day I got my gratuity, I cried.” She added, “It was like a burden lifted off my shoulders. I could finally repair my leaking roof.” Equally transformative was the prompt payment of monthly pensions. Unlike what it was in the pre-Makinde era, retirees no longer have to wait for months to receive fractions of their pension. Salaries and pensions are paid side by side, restoring confidence and stability. “I can now buy my drugs without borrowing,” said Mr. Adewale Oladipo, a retired civil servant. “Before, I used to skip medication because I couldn’t afford it. That nearly killed me.” To express their gratitude to Governor Seyi Makinde for his commitment to their welfare, members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Oyo State Council, organised an appreciation rally in front of the Governor’s Office, Oyo State Government Secretariat in 2025. Speaking at the rally, the Secretary, Comrade Olusegun Abatan, said: "16 years before you took over the mantle of government in Oyo State, pensioners had no government that was sympathetic and empathetic to their plights. Gratuities were not paid as and when due, pensions of those times were withheld or paid in instalments and all entreaties to the governments fell on deaf ears, resulting in massive deaths of our members. "At one point, Oyo State pensioners were referred to as dead people and in actual fact, we were dying like fowls afflicted by Newcastle disease. When you contested for the first term, we just wanted anybody that would liberate us from the shackles of death and we went ahead to vote en masse for you. We did the same thing when you threw your hat into the ring for a second term....