SGF slams Makinde for politicising Oyo pupils’ abduction
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, on Tuesday faulted Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for what he described as politicising the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, insisting that President Bola Tinubu prioritised their rescue over making telephone calls.
Akume said the President’s focus was on securing the release of the victims through intelligence-driven security operations rather than engaging in “public grandstanding.”
In a statement on Tuesday, the SGF’s media aide, Yomi Odunuga, said Akume spoke in Abuja while receiving members of the Global Association of Christian and Muslim Youth for Peace and Development led by its President, Peter Bassey.
His comments followed Makinde’s recent complaint that Tinubu had yet to call him after the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Makinde, while formally assuming responsibility for the welfare, rehabilitation and education of the 45 teachers and pupils rescued after spending 56 days in captivity on Monday, called for a UN-backed investigation into the abduction, saying Nigerians deserved a full account of the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Making an apparent reference to the governor’s remarks, Akume said what was before the President was “more important than a telephone call.”
Akume was quoted as saying, “We live in a society where everything is politicised. Yes, we inherited difficult situations, but we are improving by the day. I also assured him that President Bola Tinubu has taken the fight against insecurity very seriously. You could see the political sagacity and strategy of the President by ensuring the release of our dear ones who were held captives by these crooks.
“When the noise was rife that the President didn’t place a phone call to someone, it doesn’t make sense. Would a telephone call to that person have resolved the case? Would those held captives have been released? No.
“It is the strategy being used to ensure the safety of those held in captivity that should be paramount. We should be interested in the release of these children and others. We should not be interested in a telephone call.”
Akume described Tinubu as “a doer” whose leadership is defined by action rather than rhetoric.
“This is why I tell people that Asiwaju (the President) is a doer. He is not a talker. He is like the Centurion of the old Roman Empire whose services were rendered in deeds and not in words. His leadership is defined by action and results.
“Nigerians wanted to see the safe return of those innocent children and, today, they have been rescued through the strategic efforts of our security agencies under the President’s leadership. That is what matters,” he said.
The SGF maintained that the successful rescue operation demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting lives through carefully coordinated security operations.
He stressed that terrorism and kidnapping required intelligence-led responses rather than political rhetoric.
“The President has taken the fight against insecurity very seriously. His administration remains focused on restoring peace across the country, protecting lives and creating an environment where Nigerians can live and pursue their legitimate aspirations without fear,” Akume said.
The SGF also commended the Global Association of Christian and Muslim Youth for Peace and Development for promoting religious harmony and national unity.
“I am particularly impressed that you have chosen unity over division. Whether one is a Christian or a Muslim is not the issue; what matters is that we are Nigerians united by a common destiny. Your association demonstrates that peaceful coexistence is not only possible but essential for national progress,” he said.
Earlier, the association’s President, Peter Asuquo Bassey, said the group visited the SGF to strengthen its relationship with his office, citing Akume’s record in public service.
“We have come to familiarise and strengthen our relationship with you because we believe strongly in your leadership. We have followed your antecedents over the years, and we are convinced that you are committed to the service of our nation,” Bassey said.
