A judicial commission of inquiry set up by the Oyo State Government to investigate the abduction of 39 pupils and seven teachers in Oriire Local Government Area has submitted its report to Governor Seyi Makinde after hearing 72 witnesses.

The chairman of the commission, retired Justice Mojeed Owoade, presented the report to Makinde on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, at the Government House in Ibadan.

Owoade said the panel visited the affected schools and the scenes of the attack, conducted inspections and held public hearings in Ikoyi-Ile, Ogbomoso and Ibadan as part of its investigation.

He said the commission heard testimony from 72 witnesses, including victims, traditional rulers, civil society organisations, security experts and other stakeholders.

According to him, the report contains recommendations aimed at strengthening security measures, improving intelligence gathering and enhancing cooperation between security agencies and government institutions.

One of the commission’s key recommendations is a review of the laws and management of forest reserves, particularly the Old Oyo National Park, which is under federal government control.

Owoade said reviewing the management of the forest reserve was necessary to address security challenges and prevent similar incidents.

Receiving the report, Makinde promised that his administration would carefully examine the recommendations and make its decisions public.

He said the government would identify areas requiring improvement and assign responsibilities to relevant institutions to prevent a recurrence of the attack.

The governor also stressed that confidentiality would not be used as an excuse to avoid accountability, although sensitive information that could jeopardise security or ongoing proceedings would be protected.

Makinde acknowledged that the abduction had exposed weaknesses in the state’s security arrangements, despite previous efforts to improve coordination among security agencies.

He said his administration had operationalised the state’s 615 emergency toll-free number, refurbished and expanded the Security Control Room and connected the police, Amotekun, Operation Burst and other security agencies through a coordinated communication system.

However, he acknowledged that the attack demonstrated the need to examine what went wrong and identify measures that could have prevented it.

“Rescue cannot be the only measure of success. We must ask: What could have prevented the attack? What could have shortened the ordeal? What will make children safer in their schools?” the governor said.

He commended security personnel, local hunters, vigilantes and other agencies involved in rescuing the abducted pupils and teachers but stressed that preventing future attacks remained a priority.

The governor also called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of more than 40 schoolchildren abducted in Borno State on the same day as the Oriire incident.

Makinde said no Nigerian child should have to fear for their life while trying to obtain an education.

The Oyo State House of Assembly Speaker, Adebo Ogundoyin, also commended the commission for its work, pledging that the legislature would continue to support laws and other interventions aimed at improving security in schools and communities.

The abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, abducting 39 pupils and seven teachers.

The victims were held captive for 56 days in the Old Oyo National Park before regaining their freedom on July 10, 2026. Two teachers, Michael Oyedokun and Adesiyan Adegboye, died in connection with the incident.

The state government inaugurated the eight-member judicial commission on July 31, 2026, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack, examine the response of security agencies and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents.

With the submission of the report, attention has now shifted to the state government’s response and the implementation of the commission’s recommendations.