The Senate on Tuesday faulted Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde’s proposal to involve agencies of the United Nations in investigating the abduction of more than 45 pupils and teachers in the state.
The upper legislative chamber described the incident as a domestic security matter that should be handled within Nigeria.
The victims, who were abducted by armed criminals, spent 56 days in captivity before regaining their freedom on Friday, July 10, following a rescue operation carried out by a joint team of the Nigerian Army, the Police and other security agencies.
Governor Makinde, in a televised broadcast after the rescue of the victims, had indicated that relevant United Nations agencies and civil society organisations would be involved in probing the circumstances surrounding the incident.
However, the Senate, during deliberations on the development, resolved that the governor should desist from escalating what the lawmakers described as an internal security challenge to the international community.
The position of the upper chamber followed a point raised by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who accused the governor of politicising the country’s security challenges.
Oshiomhole argued that Makinde’s call for a UN-backed investigation amounted to an attempt to undermine the efforts of Nigeria’s security agencies and compromise the country’s sovereignty.
The Senate subsequently urged the Oyo State governor to allow relevant national authorities to handle investigations into the abduction and the circumstances surrounding the prolonged captivity of the pupils and teachers.
