Oyo Confirms Abduction of 32 Pupils, Students and Teachers, Says One Teacher Killed in Attack

The Oyo State Government has confirmed that seven secondary school students, 18 primary school pupils, and seven teachers were abducted during last Friday’s attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed this on Monday, explaining the breakdown of those kidnapped. He said:

“Now we are able to confirm that at the Community Secondary School, about seven students were abducted, while at the 1st Baptist Primary and Nursery School, 18 children were abducted and the teachers involved are seven. Unfortunately, like I reported yesterday, one of them was killed.”

He also confirmed that one of the abducted teachers was killed by the attackers during the incident.

Describing the situation as “fluid and difficult,” Makinde said security operations are still ongoing to rescue the victims. He noted that authorities are working under challenging conditions and urged the public to avoid sensational reporting, stressing the need for accurate updates.

“Yes, it is still a very fluid and difficult situation that our troops on the ground are faced with. So, I will please ask for a responsible report of this situation. This is not sensational; it involves lives,” he said.

The governor added that the state government is open to engaging the abductors in order to secure the safe release of the victims, while insisting that Oyo State will not surrender to terrorism.

“We will do everything to ensure that our children and their teachers are returned safely. These are not foreign people. It is us against ourselves. Whatever it is they demand, we are ready to listen to them and address the ones we can as a state government. The children and their teachers must be released in a timely manner,” he said.

Makinde also revealed that a central operational situation room has been set up at the Oyo State Police Command headquarters to coordinate rescue efforts and ensure timely updates.

“We have set up an operational centre at the police headquarters here. So the Commissioner of Police will be in a situation room and positioned to give the required information,” he added.

On security improvements, he disclosed that surveillance aircraft acquired by the state government have arrived in Nigeria and are currently being assembled.

“The surveillance aircraft has arrived in the country. As of today, they are at the Nigerian Air Force hangar in Lagos being reassembled. The manufacturers from China arrived about three days ago, and they will need roughly two weeks to complete the work.”

Makinde further stated that the aircraft would enhance monitoring of border communities between Oyo, neighbouring states, and the Republic of Benin.

“We were proactive. We wanted to cover the borderline between our state and Kwara State, and also the international border between our state and the Republic of Benin, though we did not anticipate this particular incident,” he said.