A former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the African Union of Journalists (AUJ), Mr. Lanre Ogundipe, has urged Nigerians to allow the country’s constitutional institutions to lead investigations into the abduction and subsequent rescue of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State before seeking international intervention.
Ogundipe, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the successful rescue of the victims had brought relief to the nation, stressing that attention should now focus on ensuring accountability through Nigeria’s established constitutional and legal processes.
He commended the Armed Forces, intelligence agencies, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Amotekun Corps, local hunters, vigilantes and other stakeholders for their coordinated efforts that culminated in the successful rescue operation.
The former NUJ president also paid tribute to the teacher who lost his life while in captivity and the security personnel who died during the rescue mission, describing their sacrifices as invaluable.
According to him, while public calls for accountability are justified, ongoing investigations should not be overshadowed by political narratives or premature conclusions.
Ogundipe noted that the Defence Headquarters had confirmed that the rescue followed a carefully coordinated, intelligence-driven operation involving multiple security and intelligence agencies over several weeks, adding that investigations and follow-up operations were still ongoing.
He argued that there was no public evidence to suggest that Nigeria’s constitutionally established investigative, oversight and accountability institutions were either unwilling or incapable of carrying out their responsibilities regarding the incident.
“It is therefore both prudent and constitutionally appropriate that these institutions be allowed to complete their work before recourse is sought to external accountability mechanisms,” he stated.
While acknowledging the importance of international cooperation in democratic governance, Ogundipe maintained that such engagement should complement, rather than replace, domestic constitutional processes.
He explained that confidence in democratic institutions is strengthened when they are allowed to investigate, correct and reform themselves independently and without prejudice.
The public affairs analyst further called for institutional self-examination across all levels of government, urging the Federal Government, state governments, local governments and agencies responsible for forest governance, rural administration, intelligence, education and public safety to objectively assess whether they fulfilled their statutory responsibilities before, during and after the abduction.
According to him, no institution should be shielded from lawful scrutiny, just as none should be condemned without due process.
Ogundipe clarified that his position should not be interpreted as opposition to international engagement or an attempt to protect any public office holder from scrutiny, but rather as a defence of the constitutional principle that accountability should begin with Nigeria’s legally established institutions.
He added that where such institutions are ultimately found to be unwilling, unable or legally constrained to discharge their responsibilities, other lawful accountability mechanisms could then be considered.
He urged political leaders and stakeholders to avoid partisan recriminations and instead embrace constitutional fidelity, institutional reforms and evidence-based governance.
Ogundipe concluded that while the successful rescue of the Oriire pupils and teachers deserved national celebration, the lessons from the incident should inspire lasting reforms aimed at strengthening governance, restoring public confidence and preventing similar security breaches in the future.
