A former President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Lanre Ogundipe, has urged Nigerians not to allow political narratives or premature conclusions to overshadow ongoing investigations into the rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ogundipe, who also served as President of the African Union of Journalists, thanked God for the safe rescue of the victims and commended security agencies and local volunteers involved in the operation.
“We thank Almighty God for preserving the lives of the victims and commend the Armed Forces, the intelligence community, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, local hunters, vigilantes and all those whose professionalism, courage and sacrifice made the operation successful,” he said.
He also paid tribute to the two teachers who died in captivity and the security personnel who lost their lives during the rescue mission.
“We equally honour the memory of the two teachers who tragically lost their lives in captivity and the gallant security personnel who paid the supreme price in the course of the rescue mission,” he added.
According to the public affairs analyst, the successful rescue operation has shifted public attention to questions of accountability, with some groups already calling for international scrutiny of the incident.
“While accountability is indispensable in every constitutional democracy, it is equally important that ongoing investigations are not overtaken by political narratives or premature conclusions,” he said.
Ogundipe noted that the Defence Headquarters had disclosed that the rescue was the result of a carefully coordinated, intelligence-led operation involving multiple security and intelligence agencies over several weeks and that follow-up investigations remained ongoing.
“The nation should therefore allow these investigations to proceed to their logical conclusion without undue interference or premature externalisation,” he stated.
He argued that there was no evidence to suggest that Nigeria’s established investigative and oversight institutions were unwilling or incapable of carrying out their responsibilities in relation to 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 said.
Ogundipe stressed that while international cooperation remains an important aspect of democratic governance, it should complement rather than replace domestic constitutional processes.
“Constitutional democracies derive their legitimacy not by claiming perfection but by demonstrating the capacity to investigate, correct and reform themselves through institutions established by law,” he noted.
He also called for institutional introspection at all levels of government, saying agencies responsible for forest governance, rural administration, intelligence, education and public safety should objectively assess whether they had effectively discharged their responsibilities before, during and after the incident.
“No institution should be exempt from lawful scrutiny, and none should be condemned without due process,” he said.
The former NUJ president emphasised that his intervention should not be interpreted as opposition to international engagement or an attempt to shield any public institution from scrutiny.
“Rather, it is an affirmation of the constitutional principle that accountability should ordinarily begin within the institutions established by the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
He added that should domestic institutions prove unwilling, unable or legally constrained to discharge their responsibilities, other lawful avenues of accountability could then be considered.
“This is not the time for partisan recrimination or political triumphalism. It is a moment for constitutional fidelity, institutional self-examination and evidence-based reforms,” Ogundipe stated.
He described the rescue of the Oriire pupils and teachers as a development worthy of national celebration, while insisting that the lessons from the tragedy must inspire lasting reforms to strengthen governance, restore public confidence and prevent similar incidents in the future.
“The integrity of this national moment will ultimately be measured not by the volume of competing political narratives, but by the courage of our institutions to follow the evidence wherever it leads—without fear, favour or political convenience,” he added.
