Makinde Playing Politics With Security – Oyo APC Alleges

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has criticised Governor Seyi Makinde over the recent rise in kidnapping, killings, hoodlum attacks and other violent crimes in the state.

The party, in a statement issued on Friday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, alleged that the worsening security situation was a result of what it described as the governor’s lip service, unhealthy politicking and showmanship.

The APC said it was worried that Oyo State had continued to witness violent attacks, unlike other states in the South-West, adding that human life and freedom should not be treated as tools for a political blame game.

The party accused Makinde, who is constitutionally regarded as the Chief Security Officer of the state, of shifting responsibility to the Federal Government instead of taking firm action to protect residents.

Naija News reports that the criticism followed the abduction of scores of teachers and pupils during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The incident, which occurred penultimate Friday, has continued to generate concerns among residents, parents and political stakeholders in the state.

Makinde had on Thursday expressed concern over the abduction, describing the development as painful and troubling.

The governor said, “This is a very tough period for me as a person and also for our state.”

Speaking during the governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries organised by the Allied Peoples Movement in Ibadan, Makinde also called on the Federal Government to empower state Houses of Assembly to facilitate the creation of state police.

He argued that the process should not be left in the hands of the Inspector-General of Police.

Reacting, the Oyo APC said window dressing and populism could not build or sustain a strong security system.

The party said, “We have said on several occasions that window dressing and populism cannot help in the building and sustaining security architecture.

“The current administration started on a bad note in 2019, with the disengagement of some critical stakeholders from the joint security activities in the state and up till the present moment, the traditional rulers and other relevant institutions are being left out while priority was on the purchase of pleasure cars, at exorbitant cost, for some security agencies.”

The opposition party alleged that the state government had failed to properly include traditional rulers and other grassroots institutions in its security arrangements.

It also accused the administration of spending heavily on security-related projects without visible results.

The APC further alleged that the Makinde administration paid almost ₦8bn for the procurement of surveillance aircraft, but said nothing had been seen of the project since July 2025.

The party said, “He paid almost ₦8 billion for the procurement of surveillance aircraft but nothing has been seen since July 2025 while bandits and other criminal elements torment residents of the state.”

It also accused the administration of empowering political thugs in the past, alleging that the decision had worsened insecurity in the state.

The statement added, “The same Makinde administration equipped Mukaila Auxiliary and his army of political thugs with lethal weapons for the purpose of witch-hunting the opposition elements and residents but today, the whole world knows the results of this action.”

The party also criticised the handling of the South-West Security Network, also known as Amotekun, in Oyo State.

According to the APC, while the governor keyed into the regional security arrangement, members of the Oyo Amotekun Corps were allegedly poorly treated by the government.

It said, “Makinde keyed into the idea of South-West Security Network but available reports indicate that able-bodied men recruited into Oyo Amotekun Corps were the worst treated by the government.

“No good salary, no welfare package, no insurance or retirement plans while most of them are deployed to wrong places where they serve the interest of those in power and their friends only.”

The party said such treatment had weakened the effectiveness of the security outfit and reduced its capacity to respond to emerging threats across communities.

The APC also faulted Makinde’s renewed call for state police, saying the governor had earlier dismissed the idea when the Federal Government requested memoranda from governors in 2024.

The party said, “Also annoying was the statement credited to Governor Makinde on Thursday regarding the need for the establishment of State Police. It is on record that the Oyo Governor was among those people who frustrated the efforts when it was first conceived.

“Sixteen governors submitted a memorandum on proposed modalities for the creation of state police in March 2024 at the request of the Federal Government but 20 delayed their submissions, but it was only one governor, Makinde, who called the exercise a waste of time.”

The APC recalled that Makinde had, during an interview on Channels Television, said he did not submit any memorandum on state police.

It quoted him as saying, “I did not submit any memorandum to the State Police. But my position is very clear about State Police. I see it, quite frankly, as a waste of our time.”

The opposition party accused the governor of trying to shift blame to the Presidency despite receiving monthly security votes.

It urged Makinde to take urgent steps to rescue all abducted teachers and pupils and restore confidence among residents.

The party said, “Regrettably, Makinde now wants to shift the blame on the Presidency even though he has never been denied the monthly payment of security votes which runs into billions of naira. Makinde should sit up and rescue all abductees immediately.”

The APC added that the safety of residents should be treated as a priority above politics, saying the state government must show greater seriousness in tackling kidnapping and violent crime across Oyo State.