Oyo Insecurity: Makinde Under Heavy Fire Over N7.7bn 'Abandoned' Surveillance Aircraft, N30bn Explosion Fund ...Critics accuse governor of deceit as Oriire LG suffers attack while security asset lies dormant in Lagos

By Seyifunmi Odunuga 

IBADAN— The administration of Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has come under intense political fire following heavy allegations of administrative deceit and the mismanagement of critical security assets, particularly concerning a N7.7 billion surveillance aircraft and a N30 billion Federal Government compensation fund.

Prominent political figure and critic, Lere Olayinka, spearheaded the scathing attack, describing the governor's method of governance as being built on deliberate deception. At the centre of the brewing political storm is a multi-billion naira surveillance asset—suspected by critics to be a high-capacity drone—which the state government announced it had procured in July 2025 to proactively tackle the growing menace of insecurity across the state's volatile regions.

According to the allegations, despite the massive investment of Oyo State taxpayers' money meant to protect citizens, the security equipment has been lying completely unused at an Air Force base in Lagos for nearly a year. The controversy deepened following a recent press briefing where Governor Makinde reportedly disclosed that the Chinese engineers contracted to assemble the aircraft only arrived in the country three days prior and would require an additional two weeks to complete the installation.

Opposition voices and critics are now drawing a direct, tragic parallel between the delayed deployment of this vital surveillance asset and the recent deadly terrorist attack in Oriire Local Government Area. Olayinka expressed severe outrage that the state government remained totally silent on the dormant state of the aircraft until tragedy struck, arguing that the citizens were left completely vulnerable while the N7.7 billion equipment gathered dust in a neighboring state.

Broadening the allegations of financial opacity, the governor is also facing severe backlash over the handling of a N30 billion intervention fund provided by the Federal Government. The funds were reportedly released to the state as compensation for the victims of the devastating January 2024 Ibadan explosion. Detractors allege that the governor has kept the billions warehoused while victims continue to suffer, questioning his moral standing to mount political podiums and reference historical struggles like the famed 'Operation Wetie' while allegedly neglecting his own people.

Political commentators backing the critique have further described the governor's outward, gentlemanly persona as a direct contradiction of his administrative realities. Echoing Olayinka's sentiments, they argue that his method of governance is fundamentally rooted in the deliberate issuance of false statements intended to deceive the public, noting that such actions go far beyond accidental misinformation. The opposition is now calling for immediate transparency regarding the true state of Oyo's security architecture and the immediate disbursement of the explosion victims' compensation.