“There Is a Cell Where They Keep People for Parade,” Sowore Says as He Questions Oyo Rescue Narrative

Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has cast doubt on the Federal Government’s account of the rescue of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, alleging that security agencies sometimes parade suspects whose identities and circumstances cannot be independently verified.

Speaking during an interview, Sowore questioned the official narrative surrounding the release of the victims, who spent 56 days in captivity before regaining their freedom.

According to him, he does not believe the victims were rescued solely through military operations, as publicly presented by the authorities.

“The bandits re-kidnapped kids in Oyo State and kept them in Oyo Forest for 56 days. The combined forces of the federal government could not penetrate just that circle to get these kids out,” he said.

Sowore further alleged that the victims’ release may have resulted from negotiations between the government and the kidnappers rather than direct military action.

“I have no doubt, and I’ll say this, that I’m sure this release was negotiated between the government and these bandits somewhere, probably smiling to the bank,” he claimed.

During the interview, the interviewer pushed back against Sowore’s assertion, pointing to official reports that security forces engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle, resulting in the deaths of some security personnel while several suspects were reportedly neutralised or arrested.

The interviewer also referred to videos released by security agencies showing suspects allegedly captured during the operation.

However, Sowore questioned the authenticity of such public displays.

“Did you see them?” he asked.

When the interviewer insisted that videos of the suspects had been released, Sowore argued that such footage alone was not enough to verify the government’s claims.

Recalling past incidents involving the Department of State Services (DSS), he alleged that security agencies have previously paraded suspects whose identities could not be independently confirmed.

“There was a time we used to trace the DSS when they used to parade terrorists,” Sowore said.

“We discovered that the same people they paraded the last time were paraded again later.”

He then made his strongest allegation during the interview.

“There is a cell where they keep people for parade. So when it’s their time, they just come out. You can verify this.”

His comments come days after survivors of the kidnapping shared their own account of the ordeal, saying the kidnappers eventually released them after informing them that security forces had arrested members of their families.

According to the survivors, the kidnappers directed them towards military personnel waiting outside the forest before allowing them to leave.

The Federal Government has maintained that the victims’ freedom resulted from sustained military pressure and intelligence-led operations, with authorities also announcing the arrest of several suspects connected to the abduction.

Sowore’s latest remarks add another dimension to the ongoing public debate over how the rescue unfolded, although his claims remain unverified and have not been substantiated by evidence. As of the time of filing this report, the Federal Government and the relevant security agencies had not publicly responded to his latest allegations.