The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has raised fresh concerns over what it described as a worsening wave of kidnappings, killings, and violent attacks across the state, contrasting the situation with what it claims is being experienced in other South-West states.
In a statement issued on Friday in Ibadan by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, the party blamed the development on Governor Seyi Makinde, accusing him of negligence, political showmanship, and making “lip service” out of security matters.
The APC also criticised the governor for allegedly failing in his constitutional role as Chief Security Officer of the state, arguing that he has shifted responsibility to the Federal Government while avoiding accountability at the state level.
The statement referenced recent coordinated attacks in Oriire Local Government Area, where scores of teachers and pupils were abducted from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, as well as Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School in Esiele.
Governor Makinde, reacting on Thursday, expressed concern over the incident and described the situation as distressing.
Speaking during the Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly primaries organised by the Allied Peoples Movement in Ibadan, he also renewed his call for the creation of state police, urging the Federal Government to empower state assemblies to drive the process.
In its response, the APC rejected the governor’s position and accused his administration of focusing on “window dressing and populism” instead of building a strong security structure.
According to the party, “We have said on several occasions that window dressing and populism cannot help in the building and sustaining security architecture.”
It further alleged that the administration weakened security coordination at its inception in 2019 by disengaging key stakeholders from joint security operations, while also sidelining traditional rulers and other institutions.
The party also criticised what it described as excessive spending on vehicles for security agencies.
The APC claimed, “He (Makinde) paid almost N8billions for the procurement of surveillance aircrafts but nothing has been seen since July, 2025 while bandits and other criminal elements torment residents of the state .
The same Makinde admiration equipped Mukaila Auxiliary and his army of political thugs with lethal weapons for the purpose of witch-hunting the opposition elements and residents but today, the whole world knows the results of this action.”
The opposition party also faulted the state’s handling of the Amotekun Corps, alleging poor welfare conditions and mismanagement of personnel.
It claimed operatives were underpaid, lacked insurance and retirement benefits, and were often deployed in ways that served political interests rather than public safety.
The statement added, “Makinde keyed into the idea of South-West Security Network but available reports indicate that able-bodied men recruited into Oyo Amotekun Corps were the worst treated by the government.
READ ALSO: Makinde Made Mockery Of Yoruba Tradition Over Oba Coronations — Oyo APC
No good salary, no welfare package, no insurance or retirement plans while most of them (Amotekun Corps) are deployed to wrong places where they serve the interest of those in power and their friends only.”
The APC also revisited the governor’s earlier stance on state policing, alleging inconsistency in his position.
It argued that although Makinde now supports the idea, he previously dismissed it as unproductive.
It stated, “Also annoying was the statement credited to Governor Makinde on Thursday regarding the need for the establishment of State Police.
It is on record that the Oyo Governor was among those people who frustrated the efforts when it was first conceived.
16 governors submitted a memorandum on proposed modalities for the creation of state police in March, 2024 at the request of the Federal Government but 20 delayed their submissions but it was only one governor (Makinde) who called the exercise a waste of time.”
The party further quoted Makinde as previously saying: “I did not submit any memorandum to the State Police.
But my position is very clear about State Police. I see it, quite frankly, as a waste of our time.”
Concluding its statement, the APC accused the governor of attempting to deflect blame to the Federal Government despite receiving security funding, and called for urgent action to secure the release of abducted victims across the state.