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OYO STATE – A coordinated attack on schools in rural Oyo State has left dozens of families in anguish, with at least six members of one household among those abducted, including four children, their mother, and an infant grandchild. The incident has renewed urgent calls for enhanced security measures in vulnerable border communities and forest corridors.
Micheal Ojo, a farmer from the Yawota area, recounted the harrowing moment armed assailants stormed his community on Friday morning, seizing his children and daughter-in-law as she held her baby. Speaking during a visit by journalists to the affected area, Ojo described a scene of panic, gunfire, and mass displacement that has left the once-busy communities largely deserted.
“I wish I never told them to go to school that morning,” Ojo said, his voice breaking. “They told me they didn’t want to go, but I insisted because I thought they would close by 1 p.m. Now I am left hoping and praying for their safe return.”
According to Ojo, the assailants first targeted Esiele community, about four kilometers away, where they attacked both primary and secondary schools. After subduing the area, the group split and moved toward Yawota, where another nursery and primary school serve children from neighboring settlements including Alahusa and Onyaa.
“At about 9 a.m., I saw strange men moving around outside my house. I didn’t realize they had already struck Esiele,” he recalled. “They had planned it well. After Esiele, there is no other community except the forest reserve. That is where they took the children.”
Witnesses said the attackers moved in two groups, firing sporadically to create panic before marching dozens of pupils into the forest. A viral video from the aftermath showed Ojo’s daughter-in-law pleading for help while carrying her infant, a moment that has since drawn widespread public sympathy.
Local security sources confirmed that military and police units have located the area where the abducted victims are being held. However, officials say operations are being conducted with extreme caution to avoid endangering the lives of the children and other captives.
“The soldiers have identified the location, but the priority is the safety of the children,” Ojo said, relaying information he received from security personnel on ground. “They are being careful not to trigger harm.”
The Oyo State Police Command has yet to release a full operational update, but has previously confirmed that 32 pupils, students, and teachers remain missing following attacks on Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Ahoro-Esinle axis.
The attack has triggered mass displacement across Yawota, Esiele, and surrounding villages. Ojo said most residents have abandoned their homes out of fear of further raids, leaving entire streets empty.
“As you can see, almost everyone has fled for their lives. Most houses are locked because people have run away,” he said. “But where can I go? This is where my children were taken from. I am staying here, hoping they will return.”
Security analysts note that forest reserves along Oyo’s border with Kwara and Osun have increasingly been used as hideouts by kidnapping gangs, exploiting gaps in surveillance and rapid response capacity.
The incident has intensified pressure on both state and federal authorities to strengthen intelligence-led operations and improve security presence in rural schools. Governor Seyi Makinde recently confirmed the arrival of surveillance aircraft procured by the state, which are being assembled for deployment to enhance aerial monitoring of high-risk areas.
Community leaders and parents have also called for better coordination between schools, local vigilante groups, and formal security agencies to prevent future attacks.
For families like Ojo’s, the focus remains on the safe return of their loved ones. “My children were here before this happened,” he said. “I am still hoping they will come back to me soon.”
As security forces continue their operations, the abduction underscores the urgent need for a multi-layered approach to rural security that combines technology, intelligence, community engagement, and rapid response to protect Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.
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