The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has called for calm and unity following protests over the abduction of school pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Oyo State Government House in Ibadan, Makinde urged residents to trust the government and security agencies working to secure the release of the victims.

He said the situation required collective effort rather than blame, stressing that security operatives were already actively working on rescue operations.

“So it’s not the time for us to say, well, it is the President that should have handled this, it is the governor or the local government,” he said.

Makinde described the perpetrators of the abduction as inhumane, saying their actions reflected extreme brutality beyond normal human behaviour.

“We’re not dealing with normal human beings,” he added.

The governor appealed to students, teachers, workers, and residents to remain calm and confident that efforts were underway to secure the safe return of the abducted victims.

He further disclosed that federal security operatives had been deployed to the affected area for weeks and that he had been in constant communication with them.

Makinde urged residents not to take actions that could worsen the situation or create division within the state, warning against giving advantage to the abductors.

He expressed optimism that the abducted pupils and teachers would be rescued safely, assuring the public that efforts were ongoing at multiple levels of government.