Members of the Oyo House of Assembly have rejected calls for the state government to negotiate with kidnappers over the rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Ogbomoso.
On May 15, suspected bandits attacked three schools in the
Oriire LGA, abducting about 39 students and seven teachers.
The crisis escalated days later when Michael Oyedokun, one
of the abducted teachers, was killed by the abductors.
In a recent video released on Instagram, Rachael Alamu,
principal of Community High School, Esiele, who is among the abductees, said
the kidnappers had threatened to kill another victim, urging authorities to
urgently negotiate their release.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, culminating in
nationwide protests in the past two days by members of the Nigerian Union of
Teachers (NUT) and other stakeholders.
However, at the plenary on Wednesday, the Oyo lawmakers
maintained that the priority should be intensified rescue operations rather
than dialogue with the terrorists.
Adebo Ogundoyin, speaker of the assembly, warned that any
engagement with the kidnappers could encourage further attacks and strengthen
criminal networks.
The speaker noted that while families of the victims are
going through distressing times, residents should continue to support the
efforts of security agencies and the Oyo state government in securing the
release of the abductees.
According to Punch Newspaper, Ogundoyin argued that
negotiation with armed groups risked sending the wrong signal and worsening the
security situation.
He added that security agencies must remain committed to
coordinated operations, intelligence-led interventions and sustained pressure
on the abductors until the victims are freed.
The lawmakers also urged the ministry of education, science
and technology alongside the Oyo state universal basic education board to
immediately assess the security condition of schools located near forests and
border areas.
They further called for the installation of solar-powered
lighting systems, perimeter fencing and surveillance cameras in high-risk
schools, as well as the introduction of a comprehensive emergency response
framework for schools across the state.
The lawmakers further mandated its committee on security and
strategy to visit Oriire LGA for an on-the-spot assessment and to propose
urgent legislative actions.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance
moved by Johnson Ogundele, the lawmaker representing Oriire state constituency,
shortly after the house resumed from the Eid-el-Kabir recess.
The motion was titled “Urgent need for the executive arm of
government through its security architecture to proactively nip in the bud the
spike and recurring bandit attacks on Oriire communities since the beginning of
2026 and to intensify rescue and manhunt operations to secure the release of
the abductees of the recent attack on Esiele, Oyo and Yawota communities”.
Ogundele noted that Oriire had faced repeated violent
incidents since January, including an earlier attack on the National Park
Service office in Oloka village, which left five forest guards dead.
He commended Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo, for his quick
response, deployment of security operatives, rescue efforts and on-the-spot
assessment visits to affected communities.
He urged the government to scale up support for security
agencies and consider establishing a permanent military presence around
vulnerable communities and forest corridors.
Sanjo Adedoyin, majority leader of the house, seconded the
motion, urging the federal government to speed up plans on the creation of
state police.
The development comes amid rising concern over a wave of
attacks in different parts of the state.
Earlier on Wednesday, gunmen abducted Olaide John-Paul,
younger sister of Adebayo Adelabu, former minister of power, alongside her twin
sons in Ibadan, the state capital.
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