Nigeria: Political Scholar Jibril Ibrahim Commends Oyo's Inquiry Into School Abduction, Backs Makinde's Presidential Bid

What the report says

Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, a political science scholar and senior fellow at the Centre for Democracy and Development, has praised the Oyo State Government’s judicial commission of inquiry into the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area. The report says Ibrahim, who serves on the commission, viewed the panel as a useful step for examining both the immediate and deeper causes of the incident and for considering how governments, security agencies and local communities can respond to a wider pattern of kidnappings in Nigeria.

According to the Premium Times report distributed by AllAfrica, Ibrahim said the inquiry showed that insecurity has become a national problem rather than one confined to a particular region. He linked the Oyo case to earlier attacks on schools in other parts of the country and said the panel’s work highlighted how armed groups can exploit forests and difficult terrain. The commission reportedly heard from 72 witnesses and included members with varied professional backgrounds.

The article also noted Ibrahim’s political comments, including support for Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde’s possible presidential bid. He described Makinde’s emergence as positive for democracy and argued that another candidate from the same ethnic group should not automatically be treated as a problem. He said the key issue for the opposition would be whether rival figures can eventually agree on a common candidate before the 2027 election.

The piece was published in Abuja on 2 October 2026. It provides context on both the Oyo inquiry and wider debates about insecurity and opposition politics in Nigeria.