Panic spread across Oko town in Oyo State yesterday as many schools recorded low turnout after rumours of a planned bandit attack on schools and neighbouring communities forced students and teachers to stay away from classes.

The development followed last Friday’s attack on communities in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, during which armed bandits abducted pupils, teachers and other residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, and surrounding areas. Several persons were reportedly killed, while one of the abducted teachers, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded after a video linked to the incident surfaced online.

Findings revealed that several public and private schools in the town were largely deserted, with classrooms remaining empty amid growing anxiety among residents.

It was gathered that many parents refused to allow their children to attend school over fears triggered by the rumoured invasion.

Residents said the development created panic across the community, particularly after recent security concerns reported in some parts of the Ogbomoso zone.

Security presence was, however, noticed on major roads within the area, especially along the Oko-Ejigbo route, where security operatives were seen conducting stop-and-search operations on vehicles and monitoring movements.

The deployment followed assurances by the Oyo State Police Command that adequate security measures had been put in place to safeguard lives and property in the affected communities.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, had earlier urged residents of Oko and neighbouring towns to go about their lawful activities without fear.

Ayanlade said additional security personnel had been deployed across towns and villages in Surulere Local Government Area to forestall any security breach.

The growing anxiety in Oyo came as insecurity continued to spread across parts of the South-West, with fresh concerns emerging in neighbouring Ekiti State following the reported abduction of a local government vice chairman barely weeks after worshippers were kidnapped in the area.

The Vice Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Chief Mrs Grace Ogunleye, has reportedly been abducted by suspected kidnappers along the Ipere–Iludun Ekiti road.

The incident occurred barely 21 days after suspected gunmen kidnapped church worshippers in Eda Oniyo, also in Ilejemeje Local Government Area.

Sources in the council told reporters that Ogunleye was abducted while returning to Ido-Ekiti after attending an official engagement in Ilejemeje earlier in the day.

Her vehicle was later discovered abandoned by the roadside along the lonely stretch linking Ipere and Iludun Ekiti, while attempts to reach her through her mobile phone failed as the line had been switched off.

The development has heightened tension in the area, with residents expressing concern over recurring incidents of kidnapping and attacks in parts of Ilejemeje and neighbouring communities.

Confirming the incident, the Director of Information and Civic Orientation in Ilejemeje Local Government, Falade Sunday, said security agencies had been alerted and efforts were ongoing to rescue the council vice chairman.

“The Vice Chairman of Ilejemeje Local Government, Mrs Grace Ogunleye, has reportedly been kidnapped along Ipere–Iludun Ekiti road. According to reports, her vehicle was later found abandoned while her whereabouts remain unknown,” he said.

“Her mobile phone has also been switched off as of the time of filing this report. She had earlier visited Ilejemeje this morning and was returning to Ido Ekiti when the unfortunate incident occurred. Security agencies have been alerted while efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue her safely.”

Efforts to get a reaction from the Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, were unsuccessful as calls to his phone line went unanswered.

Police launch rescue operation for abducted workers, dismiss mass kidnap reports

This came as the Oyo State Police Command launched a coordinated rescue operation following the abduction of two staff members of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), while dismissing reports of another mass abduction in parts of Ibadan as false and misleading.

The command disclosed that the incident was reported on May 19, 2026, at about 6:00 p.m. by the Chief Security Officer of CRIN to the Idi-Ayunre Divisional Police Headquarters.

According to the police, unidentified gunmen invaded the institute’s premises and abducted the two workers to an unknown destination.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, the command said operatives immediately visited the scene for an on-the-spot assessment.

Preliminary investigations revealed that about six armed men carried out the attack before fleeing into nearby forest areas with the victims.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbemiga, subsequently ordered the immediate deployment of tactical and intelligence units, including operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted workers and arrest of those behind the attack.

The command said intensive bush-combing and coordinated search operations commenced across surrounding forest locations linked to the incident.

It added that during one of the operations conducted on May 20 at about 8:10 a.m., police operatives intercepted two suspects identified simply as Shehu and Abubakar.

According to the statement, the suspects volunteered to lead security operatives to the hideout of other members of the gang, but the team came under gunfire while approaching the location.

“The operatives responded professionally, repelled the attack and successfully extracted the two suspects, who are currently in custody of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for further investigation and intelligence exploitation,” the statement added.

The command expressed concern over what it described as false and sensational reports circulating on social media and some media platforms alleging another mass abduction in the Abanla community and other parts of Ibadan.

The police clarified that no such incident had been reported anywhere within the Ibadan metropolis apart from the CRIN abduction case already under investigation.

The command warned that the dissemination of unverified reports could create unnecessary panic, undermine ongoing security operations and divert emergency response resources from genuine threats.

It urged journalists, bloggers and social media users to verify security-related information through appropriate channels before publication.

The police also assured residents that robust security measures had been put in place across affected areas and other strategic locations in the state to deny criminal elements operational space.

Residents were urged to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding while supporting security agencies with credible information that could aid ongoing operations.

Makinde signs executive order to regulate informal security groups in Oyo

Meanwhile, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State yesterday signed Executive Order 001 of 2026 to regulate the activities of informal security groups, associations, and organisations in the state.

Makinde signed the order at his private residence within the Kolapo Ishola Estate, Ibadan.

The order deals with the regulation, registration, and coordination of associations, groups, and organisations offering security and allied services in Oyo State.

He said the order was designed to ensure that all groups involved in security-related activities operate within a clear legal and operational framework that supports peace, order, and the rule of law.

He stressed that the signing was another step in his administration’s commitment to the protection of lives and property across the state.

Makinde explained that coordination, accountability, and proper regulation had become necessary “at a time like this when insecurity has become more sophisticated”.

On the recent abduction of students, pupils, and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, the governor reiterated his government’s commitment to the quick release of the victims.

Tinubu’s aide vows govt will end killings, says Nigerians have right to self-defence

Also, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, said the Federal Government is determined to end killings and insecurity across the country.

Bwala also stated that Nigerians have a constitutional right to defend themselves against attackers, including the use of lethal force in defence of their lives and homes.

He spoke yesterday on Arise Television while reacting to the killings in Esiele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

“Solution is what we all look to. Evil men operate anywhere in the world, no matter how tight you are as a government,” he said.

“You do your best and expect that with the help of God and collective participation of the people through collective intelligence, we will be able to put an end to it.”

Bwala acknowledged growing public frustration over recurring attacks and killings in parts of the country.

“I know the Nigerian people will continue to complain. So, because if, for example, no matter how we say that we are sorry and the incident happened again, people will complain, cry and mourn because it’s the life of the Nigerian people that are taken away by the evil element. We will put an end to this as a people,” he said.

The presidential aide also linked rising insecurity during election periods to what he described as a “crisis economy”.

“Every eve of elections in Nigeria from 2014, 2018, 2022 and now 2026, you will see that crisis increases because of the idea of a crisis economy. A lot of people take advantage of that, but the will and spirit of the collective people is what will put an end to this situation,” he said.

On self-defence, Bwala said the constitution guarantees citizens the right to protect themselves.

“The constitution has guaranteed to every citizen of Nigeria the right to self-defence; you have the right to defend yourself,” he said.

“When your right, my right, and that of my neighbour is put together, it becomes a collective right to defend ourselves and Nigerians have the right to defend themselves.”

He added, “If you come to my house to try to kill me, any lethal weapon I use to defend myself is guaranteed by the Constitution.”

Bwala further noted the role of vigilante groups and community-based security structures in intelligence gathering.

“Number two, as a people we have vigilante and in Borno State we have paramilitary organisations that provide intelligence to law enforcement,” he said.

“Nigerians don’t have the right to bear certain arms unless those arms are permitted, but the collective people can come together to apply to the government for the right to coordinate themselves.”

Private school owners call for stronger security after Oyo abductions

Reacting to the security challenge in Oyo State, the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) called for strengthened security around schools and vulnerable rural communities following the recent abduction of teachers and pupils in parts of the Ogbomoso area.

The association appealed during a special prayer and intercession programme organised by private school proprietors across the five local government areas in the Ogbomoso axis.

The victims were reportedly abducted during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, all located in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The attacks, which occurred around 9:30 a.m. on Friday, have heightened anxiety among parents, teachers and school owners in the area.

Speaking on behalf of the association, District Secretary Olawale Ojewumi, Public Relations Officer Tope Olaniyan, and District Chairperson Bosede Ajala described the development as disturbing and capable of undermining confidence in the safety of educational institutions.

“NAPPS wants to use this period to urge the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government and security agencies to urgently strengthen security architecture around educational institutions, especially those located in rural and vulnerable communities. Schools should remain safe environments for learning and not become targets for criminal elements,” the association said.

The group also advocated the deployment of modern surveillance technology, improved intelligence gathering and rapid response mechanisms to forestall future attacks and facilitate the rescue of abducted victims.

According to the association, urgent and visible security measures are needed to restore confidence in the safety of schools across Ogbomoso and other parts of the country.

NAPPS further appealed to school proprietors, parents, religious leaders and other stakeholders to unite in prayers and advocacy for the protection of schools and communities.

“This is not the burden of one school alone. An attack on one school is an attack on all schools,” the association added.

Catholic Secretariat raises concern over rising abduction of pupils, teachers

Similarly, the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Rev Fr Michael Banjo, decried the increasing incidence of abduction of pupils and teachers in schools across the country.

He lamented that schools, which ought to serve as sanctuaries of learning, formation and protection, were increasingly becoming places of fear, trauma and vulnerability.

Speaking yesterday at a capacity-building workshop for Catholic schools and teachers organised by the Department of Church and Society, Education Unit of the CSN in Abuja, Banjo said the abductions represented a grave assault on human dignity.

He said when children are taken from classrooms, teachers are kidnapped in the line of duty and families are forced to live in fear over the safety of those entrusted to schools, the consequences extend beyond the victims.

According to him, the insecurity has left many parents afraid to send their children to school, disrupted the right to education and weakened efforts to safeguard minors and vulnerable persons.

He called on the government and security agencies to act urgently to secure the release of all those still in captivity and restore confidence in the safety of schools and communities.

“We pray for the safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers and pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of Mr Michael Oyedokun and so many others who have died in similar circumstances across our nation,” he said.

Banjo noted that the theme of the training, “Catholic social teaching and safeguarding of minors and vulnerable persons”, was timely in view of growing concerns over the erosion of respect for human dignity.

“Across our country, we continue to witness troubling situations that call for serious reflection and decisive action. Bullying that leaves children traumatised, excessive corporal punishment that wounds rather than correct, sexual harassment and abuse by those who ought to protect and guide the young, the misuse of phones and social media to bully, to lure, to shame, to blackmail or expose children to harmful content, discrimination against children because of poverty, disability or social background and painful situations where warning signs are ignored until lives are deeply damaged,” he said.

Banjo stressed that Catholic social teaching and safeguarding must work together to affirm the dignity of every person, protect the vulnerable and ensure that Catholic schools remain safe centres of faith, learning and care.

He described the insecurity affecting educators and schoolchildren as part of a wider moral crisis confronting the nation.

The cleric warned that Catholic educators could not afford to remain silent or ill-equipped in the face of such realities.

According to him, Catholic schools are not only centres for academic instruction, but institutions where faith is deepened, values nurtured and future leaders prepared.

NLC demands urgent action over insecurity after Oyo school abductions

In the same vein, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) urged governments at all levels to take decisive action to end killings and insecurity across the country, following the abduction of pupils and teachers by bandits in Oyo State.

The union also called on security agencies to carry out what it described as a thorough soul-searching on the protection of lives and property.

In a statement, NLC President Joe Ajaero lamented the killing of one of the teachers in captivity and expressed concern over the continued crisis in Ahoro Esinele and Yawota communities.

According to him, the incident involving children and teachers reflected the growing erosion of humanity and the increasing acceptance of insecurity as a way of life.

“The Ahoro Esinele and Yawota crisis has refused to go away, partly due to the age of the abductees, little children. This is certainly not out of callousness but a reflection of the extent of the loss of humanity, and a quiet indignation and a reluctant acceptance of people’s new way of life,” he said.

Ajaero called on the government to urgently address the security challenge, warning that the country was approaching a dangerous point.

“Congress demands action now. The bleeding is getting too much. We seem to have lost the kinetic deterrence and capacity for opposed rescue,” he stated.

He warned of what he described as a greater tragedy, saying citizens might begin to shift loyalty towards criminal groups if insecurity persisted.

“A greater tragedy awaits us all, and that is the potential switch of loyalty to bandits en masse by the citizenry. Needless to say, this represents a vote of no confidence in all of us and inherent trust in bandits to offer better protection,” he added.

The NLC president also expressed concern over the spread of insecurity to communities previously considered safe.

“Another layer of the tragedy is that there are no more safe havens in the country. From the perspective of the affected rural communities, abductions of this nature were stories told of distant places. Now, nowhere is safe. It is only a matter of time before residents of megacities get dragged out of their domiciles in broad daylight,” he said.

Ajaero called for a comprehensive review of the country’s security strategy, urging authorities to adopt a more people-centred approach in confronting terrorism and banditry.

“Given this multi-layer tragedy and our seeming helplessness in the face of it all, the time has come for a sincere and honest conversation and change of both strategies and tactics in the war against terror, a fundamental shift from the war as a business to one of survival,” he said.

Hazmat urges Tinubu to partner OPC, local security groups against insecurity in S’West

For his part, the Akinrogun Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Otunba Adewale Hazmat, appealed to President Bola Tinubu to encourage collaboration between security agencies and grassroots security stakeholders to tackle escalating terrorism and banditry in the South-West.

Hazmat specifically urged the President to embrace the offer by the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, to lead the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and other groups under the South-West Security Stakeholders Group (SSSG) in combating insecurity in the region.

Reacting to the recent abduction involving schools in Oyo State, Hazmat, in a statement issued yesterday, expressed concern over the worsening security situation and stressed the need for unity and collective action.

“Our land is bleeding, and we can’t fold our hands and keep watching. This is not the time for division among Yoruba people, and we must not allow negligence to destroy our ancient wisdom.

“As the region continues to grapple with insecurity, this proposed partnership could mark a significant step towards reclaiming peace and stability for the Yoruba nation and Nigeria at large,” he said.

Hazmat highlighted the role community-based organisations such as OPC could play in complementing government efforts to restore peace, citing their grassroots presence across the region.

He urged President Tinubu to recognise the value of local knowledge and grassroots involvement in intelligence gathering and security operations.

According to him, the appeal followed growing calls from different quarters for stronger collaboration between traditional security groups and formal law enforcement agencies to tackle terrorism, banditry and other criminal activities in the region.

“This call underscores the importance of leveraging both modern security apparatus and indigenous structures to safeguard the lives and properties of the people in the South-West,” he added. (The Guardian)

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