By Uzair Adam
No fewer than 45 pupils were abducted during a coordinated attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday, triggering widespread panic and grief across affected communities.
The schools targeted include Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School in Esiele, and L.A. Primary School.
Residents said the attackers stormed the area in the early hours, disrupting school activities and whisking away children and some teachers.
A teacher at Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Elizabeth Olagoke, recounted that the gunmen arrived around 8 am on motorcycles, speaking Yoruba, Hausa, and Pidgin English. She explained that they fired sporadically, creating chaos before moving into classrooms.
“They came into my class first and tried to take me along with a child I was carrying,” she said, noting that she managed to escape after pleading with them.
According to her, the assailants operated for only a few minutes but left with dozens of pupils drawn from Yawota, Esiele, and Alausa communities.
She added that a teacher was also abducted, while motorcycles were stolen and a rider killed during the нападение.
The traditional ruler of Esiele, Oba Tajudeen Abioye, confirmed that about 45 pupils were taken, adding that efforts were underway to secure their release.
A former lawmaker, Bamigboye Abidoye, said the number of abducted pupils from one of the schools alone was significant, while several teachers were also taken from the secondary school.
Security sources disclosed that three suspects had been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, assuring that operations were ongoing to rescue the victims.
Meanwhile, parents of the abducted children expressed anguish over the incident. One mother, Ajarah Ayanwale, said the attackers initially deceived residents by posing as security personnel.
“We thought they came to protect us,” she said, explaining that panic set in when gunshots followed shortly after.
Another parent, Shukurat Pius, whose young son was taken, said some pupils escaped through windows, but younger children who could not flee were captured. She pleaded with authorities to ensure the safe return of the victims.
For Nafisat Agunle, the ordeal has been devastating since her child went missing.
She described sleepless nights and constant searching, while Adijat Ibrahim said she still hopes her son will return home.
Other parents narrated similar experiences, with some losing more than one child in the attack. A resident, Gabriel Sunday, said two of his children were abducted while one managed to escape through the bush.
Amid growing fears, security operatives have reportedly surrounded forest areas near the communities, particularly around the Old Oyo National Park axis, where the attackers are believed to have fled.
The state government said joint teams comprising the Nigerian Army, police, and local security outfits had launched coordinated rescue operations.
Authorities in neighbouring South-West states have also heightened surveillance and deployed additional security personnel to schools and vulnerable communities to prevent further attacks.
Security experts and regional leaders have warned that the нападение signals a growing threat in the South-West, urging stronger collaboration between governments and local security groups to address the worsening situation.
Despite ongoing efforts, uncertainty remains over the exact number of abducted pupils, complicating rescue operations.
Officials, however, insist that efforts are being intensified to locate the victims and restore calm to the affected communities.