The number of victims abducted in coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has risen to 46, according to community leaders. The victims include 7 teachers and 39 pupils and students, with the youngest being a two-year-old toddler.
The attacks occurred last Friday, May 15, 2026, when heavily armed gunmen on motorcycles stormed Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the same community. The assailants opened fire indiscriminately, killed the assistant headmaster, Mr. Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist who resisted, before abducting teachers and students and marching them into the forest of the Old Oyo National Park.
Community leaders released the full list of abductees. The seven teachers taken include Mrs. Alamu Folawe, Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele; Mr. Ojo Jonathan, Vice Principal; Mr. Olatunde Zacchaeus; Mr. John Olaleye; Mr. Michael Oyedokun; Mrs. Oladeji; and Mary Akanbi of Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School. Reports later confirmed that Mr. Michael Oyedokun was killed in captivity.
Among the 39 children abducted is Christianah Akanbi, a two-year-old pupil of Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School. Other victims range in age from 3 to 16 years. From Ahoro-Esinele, those abducted include Rashida Tajudeen, 11; Ahmed Ramoni, 8; Abdulsalam Toyib, 4; Baraka Abioye, 16; Fatimo Jimoh, 15; Hassan Azeez, 14; and Joshua Adeleke, 13. From Yawota, victims include Samuel Oyedele, 7; Emmanuel Oyedele, 4; Idowu Taiwo, 4; Juwon Sunday, 7; Sikiru Salami, 3; and others.
The attackers also made away with four motorcycles, three from Yawota community and one from the high school. A distress video later surfaced online showing the abducted principal, Mrs. Alamu Folawe, appealing to the federal and state governments, CAN, and Nigerians to secure the release of the victims without the use of force.
The incident has sparked outrage and protests across Oyo State. Teachers in Ogbomoso shut down classroom activities and marched to the TESCOM office to demand action. The Christian Association of Nigeria condemned the attack, saying “when children are hunted in classrooms, silence becomes complicity”. President Bola Tinubu also condemned the killing of an abducted teacher and pledged federal support for rescue efforts.
Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that one teacher was killed on Sunday and said six suspects, including alleged informants and logistics suppliers, have been arrested. He added that security agencies are on top of the situation, but joint rescue operations have been hampered by IEDs planted by the attackers, which injured some security personnel.
The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board initially ordered the closure of schools in the area to allow security operations but later directed reopening on Monday. Many parents remain anxious, with families awaiting updates from security agencies….See More
