Oyo APC Faults Makinde Over Abduction of Three CRIN Workers

Opposition demands update on rescue efforts as governor recounts Tinubu’s choice of Bayo Adelabu for ministerial appointment

By Henryrich Ojo | Newsworld

The Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised Governor Seyi Makinde over the abduction of three staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), demanding details of efforts to secure their release and prevent further attacks. The three workers were reportedly kidnapped last Friday within the institute’s premises.

In a statement, the APC Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Sadare, expressed concern over the incident and called on the state government to explain the circumstances surrounding the abduction and the measures being taken to address insecurity. Sadare said residents deserved to know what was being done to rescue the victims and tackle the recurring threat of kidnapping across the state.

“Also, the public wanted to know the circumstances surrounding the fresh abduction of the three staff of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) and efforts being put in place to rescue them, as well as ensuring that surging insecurity is permanently addressed in the state,” Sadare said. The party urged Makinde’s administration to provide updates on the rescue operation and explain what steps were being taken to prevent similar incidents.

However, the statement did not provide independent details about the circumstances of the kidnapping or the status of efforts to secure the victims’ release. The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of workers and residents in Oyo State, with the opposition calling for stronger measures to protect lives and property.

Meanwhile, Makinde has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu asked him to present the appointment of Bayo Adelabu as a minister as though it was his own choice, despite the governor having recommended another candidate. Speaking during a media chat on Fresh FM on Sunday, Makinde said the President had initially asked him to nominate a development economist for the budget and economic planning portfolio.

He subsequently recommended Bimbo Adekanmbi, a former finance commissioner under ex-governor Abiola Ajimobi, whom he credited with helping stabilise the state’s finances during that administration. According to Makinde, Tinubu later informed him that he had decided to appoint Adelabu, who contested the Oyo governorship election in 2019. The governor said he declined to present the President’s preferred candidate as his own nomination because Tinubu had already made the decision.