The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has intensified pressure on the Federal Government to open the controversial abduction and rescue of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State to international scrutiny, insisting that only an independent investigation can restore public confidence in the official account of the incident.
The rights group said President Bola Tinubu’s administration should stop criticising Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for demanding a United Nations-led investigation and instead invite the UN, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other credible international agencies to independently examine the 56-day ordeal and the military rescue operation.
In a statement issued Tuesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA argued that the Presidency’s attack on Makinde sidestepped the fundamental questions Nigerians are asking about one of the country’s most disturbing school abduction cases.
According to the organisation, transparency—not political attacks—is the only way to dispel growing public doubts surrounding the operation.
“If the government has nothing to hide, it should have no difficulty welcoming an independent probe,” HURIWA said, adding that accountability, not official public relations, is the hallmark of democratic governance.
The group questioned why Nigerians have not been shown evidence of terrorists reportedly killed or arrested during the rescue mission, demanding to know their identities and why verifiable details have not been made public.
It also sought explanations over reports that a newly trained Army officer led the high-risk operation despite the availability of more experienced combat commanders, while asking the military to disclose the identities of soldiers reportedly wounded and the circumstances surrounding their injuries.
HURIWA further criticised the decision to present rescued children and teachers before television cameras shortly after their release, saying victims of prolonged terrorist captivity should have received psychological assessment, trauma counselling and professional debriefing before making public appearances.
Describing the issues as matters of national security rather than partisan politics, the association said Governor Makinde’s demand for an independent investigation reflected concerns shared by many Nigerians.
It maintained that inviting respected international investigative bodies would strengthen, rather than diminish, Nigeria’s democratic institutions and demonstrate the government’s commitment to openness.
HURIWA noted that Nigeria has previously welcomed international participation in investigations involving human rights and security issues, arguing that rejecting similar scrutiny in the Oyo case would send the wrong signal.
The group urged the Tinubu administration to immediately invite the UN, the FBI and other internationally respected investigative institutions to establish the facts surrounding the abduction, the prolonged captivity, the rescue operation and the actions of all agencies involved.
According to HURIWA, the country owes the rescued children, their families and the public a full, credible and independent account of what transpired.