Armed terrorists on Friday invaded communities within the Ahoro-Esiele/Yawota axis of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, launching coordinated attacks on Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.
The attackers, who reportedly arrived on motorcycles, stormed the schools during academic activities, killing an assistant headmaster identified as Joel Adesiyan and a commercial motorcyclist before abducting students and several teachers into nearby forests.
Authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of students taken, but officials confirmed that seven teachers were among those kidnapped during the violent raid.
In the aftermath of the attack, distressing videos began circulating on social media showing abducted teachers pleading for urgent intervention from the government as fear spread across affected communities.
One of the clips featured Rachael Alamu, principal of Community High School, Esiele, appealing for swift action to secure the release of the victims.
The situation took a tragic turn when Seyi Makinde confirmed that one of the abducted teachers, a mathematics teacher, had been killed in captivity. He disclosed that the state received a video evidence of the killing, describing the development as deeply distressing.
Following the incident, the Oyo State Police Command launched an intensive manhunt and rescue operation involving multiple security agencies.
Makinde said personnel of the police, military, the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun), and local hunters were immediately deployed to track down the attackers and rescue the remaining victims.
However, the rescue operation was met with resistance after some Amotekun operatives reportedly sustained injuries when they encountered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) allegedly planted by the terrorists during pursuit operations near the Old Oyo National Park axis.
Security sources also said the attackers had earlier opened fire on approaching operatives, forcing them to momentarily retreat before the explosion occurred during recovery efforts.
Makinde linked the attack to growing pressure on terrorist groups in the North-East, warning that displaced armed groups are increasingly moving toward the South-West.
He stressed the need for sustained security presence in vulnerable rural communities, cautioning that short-term clearance operations without long-term deployment would leave residents exposed to renewed attacks.
The governor assured residents that the state government is combining military and non-military strategies to secure the release of the abducted victims and strengthen security across affected areas.
He also appealed for calm, urging the public to remain patient as security agencies continue efforts to rescue the remaining victims and restore safety to the affected communities.
