Pastor Ibiyeomie Questions Politicians Behind Oyo School Kidnapping

The founder of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, has claimed that powerful people might be involved in the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State.

The 63-year-old pastor made this statement after the kidnapping of schoolchildren and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

This incident has caused anger across the country and raised new fears about school safety in Nigeria.

The abduction happened on 15 May when armed men attacked schools in Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities, taking away many pupils, students, and teachers. Reports say that about 46 people were kidnapped, including 39 students and seven teachers during the attacks.

Questions

While speaking during a church service on Wednesday at the Salvation Ministry headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mr Ibiyeomie asked why those who commit such crimes are rarely caught, despite the technology available to security agencies.

“They are not just picking those children without sponsors; all the politicians behind it. They can’t pick children and show their faces without sponsors,” he said.

“Do you know that even DSS kind of work, they would know where the people are. There must be an invisible hand behind it, because DSS can track you; if you are calling from anywhere, they would know where you are. So how come in Nigeria nobody is ever caught?”

The pastor did not provide proof to back his claim that politicians were supporting the kidnappers.

Criticism of Institutions

Beyond insecurity, Mr Ibiyeomie used his sermon to talk about the public's trust in key democratic institutions, especially the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He urged these institutions not to betray Nigerians’ trust ahead of future elections, saying that some actions by public officials had hurt their credibility.

“I want to appeal to two sets of people not to disappoint us, the judiciary and INEC,” he said.

The pastor complained about what he called inconsistent judicial decisions, saying different interpretations of similar legal issues had weakened public trust in the courts.

“Before, the commoner hoped to go to the judiciary. Now you will see law interpreted like one law in one state is different from the law in another state, making the judiciary look like child’s play,” he said.

He believes institutions should outlive politicians and resist pressures from powerful individuals to compromise them.

“Bad politicians mess up institutions, but institutions should stand for generations after generations. The judiciary should stand and say, ‘we have been existing before now, and we would still exist.’”

Legacy

The Port Harcourt-based pastor also urged public officials to think about the long-term effects of their actions and the legacies they will leave behind.

He said that people who hurt public institutions for personal or political gain risk being remembered badly by future generations.

“Think about legacy. There are names people won’t call and say this is my father,” he said. “Tell me how the former INEC chairman’s son can be proud of his father’s name. You call that kind of name, it will ache in your ear, because we all saw where he turned the truth upside down.”

“What face will he use to face Nigerians? No way such a name will be called, and nobody will say ‘thank God.’

Warning to Pastors

The cleric also criticized religious leaders who, he said, compromise their beliefs for political favors and financial gain.

“Some pastors are praying for people they know they can’t deliver. You are saying, ‘I know, but he is going to give me money.’ Don’t collect money.”

He noted that he refuses to pray for people who are not doing right, saying, “Anybody who comes, I will tell you korokoro, I no go fit pray. My conscience no go allow me pray.”

Prayer for Abducted Pupils

Mr Ibiyeomie ended his message with prayers for the release of the abducted children and teachers in Oyo State, expressing hope that they would be freed.

Quoting Isaiah 49:25, he prayed, “Nigeria will be better in our time. Those children will be rescued.”

The cleric also prayed for those allegedly funding violence and kidnappings in the country.

“Everyone sponsoring this evil in Nigeria, let them and their children die by blood. Let God himself pursue them and destroy them. Let the sword never depart from the houses of the wicked; since they love evil, let evil happen to their children.”

The Oyo school abduction is seen as one of the most serious attacks on schools in southern Nigeria in recent years. It brings back painful memories of the Chibok, Dapchi, and Kuriga school kidnappings that have troubled the country in recent times.