Atiku’s spokesman urges DSS to question Sunday Igboho over Oyo kidnapping claims

Paul Ibe, spokesperson to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies to invite Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Igboho for questioning over allegations linked to the recent abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Ibe urged security authorities, including the Department of State Services, to seek clarification from Igboho following his claims that he knows the politicians allegedly backing the kidnappers responsible for the incident.

Ibe argued that authorities must pursue every possible lead that could help secure the safe return of the victims. He maintained that if Igboho possesses information about those involved in the crime, security agencies should obtain it and act accordingly.

“Since Sunday Igboho claims to know those behind the abduction of students and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, I think that the State Security Service (SSS) and other security agencies need to invite him to release those names to them,” Ibe wrote.

“Every option should be on the table to fast-track the safe release of the school children and teachers.”

Igboho had made the allegation while receiving members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at his residence in Ibadan on Wednesday.

The activist claimed he knew the politicians backing the kidnappers and threatened to reveal their identities if they continued their activities. He also claimed that although he had secured federal government approval for his security outfit, ‘Iru Ekun’, the Oyo State Government barred the group from operating and warned that any attempt to rescue the abducted children could endanger their lives.

Ibe also questioned the federal government’s response to the reported abduction of more than 50 schoolchildren in Mussa, Borno State, last month.

He accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of paying less attention to the Borno incident compared to the response to the Oriire abduction in Oyo State.

“By the way, who knows those behind the abduction of over 50 school children in Mussa, Borno State on May 15, 2026? Why is Tinubu and his government mute over the Borno abduction? Are those school children not Nigerians? When will the Commander-in-Chief and Consoler-in-Chief send a delegation to Mussa like it did in the case of Oriire? When will Borno and other vulnerable states get their own forest guards? Why wait for a tragedy to occur before the Tinubu government takes action to stem insecurity in our country?” he asked.