The recent Oyo school abduction and killing of a teacher have intensified calls for state police and regional security outfits, with factions of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho and traditional hunters urging the Federal Government to empower local groups to confront armed gangs in the South-West.

Last Friday, armed bandits attacked communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting pupils and teachers from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, and other residents. Several persons were reportedly killed, and one of the kidnapped teachers, Mr Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded after a video linked to the incident surfaced online.

“We cannot continue to fold our arms while bandits and terrorists invade our towns and villages to kidnap and kill at will. Enough is enough. The government must support and equip willing groups like the OPC to enter the forests and restore sanity,” said a statement by Otunba Wasiu Afolabi, President of the late Dr Frederick Fasehun faction.

Also, the group led by the National Coordinator of the OPC, Gani Adams, condemned the killings and abductions.

Adams seized the opportunity to renew calls for state police as the only solution to address the incessant killings and kidnappings across the country.

In a statement, Adams described the invasion as a threat to the safety of children and the future of education in the region.

The Yoruba generalissimo recalled several occasions when he had urged the Federal Government, South-West governors and security agencies to take proactive measures against armed groups allegedly operating in border communities and forests.

He called on security agencies, traditional rulers and community leaders to collaborate more effectively to restore peace and security in the South-West.

Afolabi added: “We hereby urge the government to permit and equip the OPC and other self-determination groups to confront the threat posed by terrorists to end the insecurity being imported into Yorubaland from the North.

“Yorubaland is under attack. Long ago, we warned and shouted, but our leaders continued to play politics and refused to act. Now, we must face the reality that the enemies have surrounded us.

“Our people say that to be forewarned is to be forearmed. But Yoruba people and our governors have been wallowing in a false sense of security while ignoring the looming danger posed by bandits, terrorists and their local collaborators.

“We will not tolerate a situation where our children cannot safely attend school, where our people cannot travel freely or where farmers cannot work on their farms because of criminal elements.

“The time has come to confront these unprovoked and needless killings.”

Afolabi also described as disturbing, reports that security personnel allegedly dispersed protesters demonstrating against the attacks in affected communities.

The group urged governors in Yoruba-speaking states to convene vigilante groups, hunters and other local security outfits to support efforts aimed at tackling insecurity.

Sunday Igboho wants FG, S’West govs to approve new security outfit
ALSO, Yoruba nation activist Chief Sunday Adeyemo, commonly known as Sunday Igboho, urged the Federal Government and South-West governors to expedite the approval process for a security network aimed at removing criminal elements from the forests in Yorubaland.

He stated that he has completed all necessary procedures for the operation of the Iru Ekun Security Network, which is designed to eliminate bandits, rogue herders, and kidnappers who have taken over the forests of the region, and is currently awaiting government approval.

His statement reads, “I don’t want to start our strategic and effectively mapped out onslaught against these criminals without the official approval from the Federal Government, South-West governors and relevant security stakeholders, the Police, Department of State Service, Nigeria Army and others.

“What happened in Ahoro-Esinele community and other previous security breaches are sad, unfortunate, and worrisome considering the plights of the victims of abduction, most especially the innocent pupils.

“My heart is with the parents of the abducted pupils and families of the slain teachers and security personnel, who lost their lives in these dastardly acts.

“However, it is crucial at this juncture not to procrastinate in taking decisive actions capable of restoring peace, effective security and confidence of our rural communities that are specifically bearing the direct brunt of avoidable vicious killings and attacks by bandits in the S’West and some parts of Kwara State.

“We are battle-ready with our men to storm these forests and flush out marauders, who have made lives miserable for our people. We cannot afford to continue like this and fold our hands while we watch our people being mindlessly murdered and abducted by bandits, herders and kidnappers.

“Our revered traditional rulers should also weigh in by prevailing on government authorities to speedily grant approval for the take off of the Iru Ekun Security Network in order to end the upsurge in insecurity plaguing the South-West.”

Traditional hunters say they can dislodge bandits in Oyo forest
THIS came as traditional hunters in Oyo State declared that they possess the capacity to tackle the security crisis in the Old Oyo National Park following the bandits’ attack on three communities in Oriire Local Government Area.

The hunters, however, complained that they had not been consulted by the government or formally recognised in efforts to address insecurity in the area.

They also lamented the abduction of children and teachers in the affected Oriire communities, describing the incident as unfortunate.

The position was contained in a joint statement issued by the Oluode of Ibadanland, Chief Moshood Kehinde Ege, also known as the Ajagunna of Yorubaland, and the Oluode of Onpetu in Ogbomoso South Local Government Area, Chief Adebayo Amos Abiade.

“It is unfortunate that our children and teachers, who shape our lives, are being held captive. What is more pathetic is that the security agents have located their base but are unable to make the final push of the rescue operation. So, the mission is not yet complete,” the statement said.

The traditional hunters maintained that they could flush out the bandits and rescue the abductees with minimal harm if they were officially engaged.

“Traditionalists, particularly hunters, real hunters, are capable of dislodging the bandits and bringing the captives out unharmed or with minimal harm, but the government did not invite us and if we venture out when you are not asked to assist, you could end up in trouble,” they stated.

The hunters disclosed that some of their members were already assisting security agencies involved in the rescue operation.

“Though we allowed our junior members to join the rescue team, it is out of duty. We just allowed that for humanity’s sake. But let it be known that it was our members, because they are conversant with the forest paths, that led the soldiers and other security agents to uncover the base of the criminals where the abductees are kept and not any conventional security operative. Our boys showed them the way,” the statement added.

They further insisted that traditional hunters possessed the expertise required to confront armed groups operating in forests across the region.

“If we are consulted, we know how to dislodge the bandits; it is our speciality, but no one has reached out to us and if we venture out just like that, we would become fugitives of the law. We all know what happened to Chief Sunday Adeyemo, a.k.a. Igboho,” they said.

Establish military base in Oriire to curb insecurity, Ogbomoso monarchs urge FG
ALSO, traditional rulers across the five local government areas of Ogbomosoland called on the Federal Government to establish a military base in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State to combat rising insecurity and the activities of armed bandits in the area.

At a security meeting attended by the Alapa of Apa, the Alajaawa of Ajaawa, the Alaroje, the Aale of Oke-Elesin and members of the Soun-in-Council, the royal fathers condemned the abduction of students and the persistent attacks on residents by gunmen operating around forest communities.

Presenting the communique after the meeting yesterday, the Alapa of Apa, Oba John Akin Akintola, described the worsening insecurity in Ogbomoso and adjoining communities as a major concern to residents and the entire state. He lamented that many farmers could no longer access their farms due to fear of attacks and abduction.

“The traditional rulers are demanding immediate federal intervention, including the establishment of a military formation close to the forest reserve in Oriire Local Government Area,” he said.

“We are requesting that a military base be sited close to the forest reserve. If soldiers and military equipment are stationed there, many communities within the zone will be protected.”

The monarch noted that although the police have been making efforts, the nature and scale of the attacks now require stronger military operations.

“I don’t think the police can handle this alone. A police station may only serve a few communities, but a military base will provide broader security coverage across the area,” he added.

The royal fathers warned that banditry, previously associated with parts of northern Nigeria, is gradually spreading into the South-West, thereby threatening lives, agriculture and rural stability.

“South-West has now been infiltrated by bandits. We do not have the capacity to confront them ourselves. That is why we are appealing to the Federal Government to act urgently,” Oba Akintola stated.

DHQ denies existence of terrorist bases in South-West after Oyo attack
MEANWHILE, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports suggesting that terrorist groups have established permanent operational bases in Nigeria’s South-West, insisting that the recent attack in Oyo State was an isolated criminal incident.

The clarification followed reports alleging the presence of entrenched terrorist camps in the South-West after the attack in Oyo State.

In a statement issued yesterday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, said the incident did not indicate the existence of any permanent terrorist structure in the region.

He added that previous military clearance operations in the Old Oyo National Park had significantly weakened criminal elements operating within the area.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to categorically address recent media reports and public speculation suggesting that terrorist elements have established a permanent operational base within the South West geo-political zone of Nigeria, particularly following the attack in Oyo State,” he said.

“It is pertinent to state that the incident was an isolated criminal act and does not reflect the existence of any entrenched terrorist structure in the region, as the Armed Forces had earlier conducted a comprehensive clearance operation of the Old Oyo National Park, effectively neutralising the operational capacity of criminal elements within that corridor.”

According to Onoja, current intelligence assessments do not support claims that any structured or permanent terrorist base exists within forests or hinterlands in the South-West.

“Criminal elements, however audacious their recent activities, do not constitute an established insurgent presence, and the Defence Headquarters cautions against narratives that may cause unnecessary public panic or embolden adversaries by overstating their capabilities,” he added.

The military spokesman said the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, had expressed condolences over the abduction of pupils from the affected schools.

He assured affected families, as well as the government and people of Oyo State, that the Armed Forces remained committed to securing the safe and unconditional release of all abducted victims.

“The full weight of the Armed Forces is being brought to bear to ensure the safe and unconditional return of every abducted victim,” he said.

Onoja urged Nigerians to remain calm, united and supportive of ongoing military operations.

He disclosed that troops were currently conducting active search-and-rescue operations across forested areas in Oyo State.

“The Armed Forces is equally engaging the local populace for human intelligence, recognising that community cooperation remains an invaluable asset in the effort to recover the abducted victims safely and swiftly,” he said.

According to him, the military, in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilantes, would continue operations aimed at clearing criminal elements from the forests and restoring peace to the region.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will not relent until every abducted victim is safely recovered, the criminal networks responsible are dismantled, and normalcy is fully restored across the South West and indeed all of Nigeria,” he added.

Atiku, Obi, PFN, others condemn rising insecurity in S’West
FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the worsening insecurity in the country, saying Nigeria is now characterised by repeated condemnations from the government rather than concrete action.

Atiku made the remarks while reacting to recent attacks and abductions in parts of Oyo and Katsina states, which left several people dead and others kidnapped, including schoolchildren and teachers.

In a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the killings and kidnappings across the country reflected what he described as a failure of leadership at the highest level.

He said the government’s response to repeated tragedies had become predictable and ineffective.

“At a time when armed criminals are abducting schoolchildren, killing innocent citizens and turning communities into graveyards, the President’s response remains the same tired ritual: condemn the killings, threaten that the perpetrators will face the full wrath of the law, and then wait for the next massacre,” he said.

Atiku added that Nigerians were becoming tired of what he described as recycled outrage.

According to him, statements issued after each attack no longer carried meaning.

“Nigerians have heard this script too many times. It has become painfully predictable and utterly meaningless,” he said.

The former vice president also criticised what he described as a pattern in which the government only speaks after lives have been lost.

“A president who only finds his voice after blood has been spilled is not leading; he is presiding over failure,” he added.

Atiku further said the worsening security situation showed that criminal groups now operated with confidence because they no longer feared the state.

“When terrorists can invade schools, abduct children and teachers, kill pregnant women and sack entire communities without consequence, it means the authority of the state has collapsed,” he said.

He also expressed concern over reports suggesting attempts to suppress images and information relating to violent incidents, warning that such actions would pose a threat to democracy.

“If this government is more interested in censoring evidence of mass killings than preventing them, then that is not just incompetence; it is cruelty of the highest order,” he said.

Atiku called for urgent action to rescue abducted victims, strengthen security responses and overhaul what he described as the country’s failing security system.

ALSO, former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, condemned the killing of a teacher and the rape and murder of an elderly woman, describing the incidents as evidence of worsening insecurity and deepening moral decline in Nigeria.

In a statement shared on his X platform, Obi said the tragedies reflected a dangerous erosion of humanity and growing societal desensitisation to violence.

“Some events shatter a society so deeply that words are no longer enough to express the shock; the brutal killing of a teacher and the horrific rape and murder of an elderly woman are among such tragedies,” Obi stated.

He said the incidents were not isolated crimes but signs of “deeper moral and social decay” in the country.

“How did we get here? How did we reach a point where teachers are hunted and killed, and the elderly — custodians of memory and wisdom — suffer such dehumanising violence?” he queried.

The former Labour Party presidential candidate warned that the nation was gradually losing its collective humanity as citizens increasingly became accustomed to tragic news without demanding meaningful action.

“This is more than a security crisis; it is a failure of collective humanity. We have become desensitised, consuming tragedy briefly and moving on, allowing indifference to normalise the unacceptable,” he said.

Obi sympathised with the families of the victims but stressed that grief alone was insufficient without accountability and urgent reforms.

He further cautioned that if such atrocities no longer provoke outrage and action from citizens and authorities, the country risks losing its moral foundation entirely.

PFN condemns abduction of Oyo pupils, beheading of teacher, demands urgent action
THE Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) condemned the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers, as well as the beheading of Mr Michael Oyedokun, a teacher at Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle in Oriire Local Council of Oyo State.

In a statement released by the fellowship’s Media Bureau, PFN National President, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, expressed disappointment with the Federal Government over what he described as the spread of insurgency across the country despite repeated assurances of safety and security, particularly for children.

According to the statement, each new incident exposed the failure of government assurances on security.

“Most disgraceful is the continued abduction of pupils across the country. No child should be forced to live in fear. Our foremost concern, therefore, remains the safety of the pupils, teachers and staff of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle in Oyo State,” the statement said.

The fellowship described the killing of Oyedokun as a horrific act and extended condolences to his family, the school community and residents of Oriire Local Government Area.

“Our hearts are bleeding as we watched with horror the video released by the perpetrators, showing our brother, a devoted educator, bound, humiliated and beheaded. This is not merely a heinous crime; it is a sacrilege against the sanctity of life, an assault on the teaching vocation and a direct attack on the future of our nation,” the statement added.

PFN described the incident as a national disgrace and warned that continued attacks on schools and communities had weakened public confidence in the government’s ability to protect citizens.

“When armed gangs storm rural schools, kill those who resist, and carry away pupils and educators with impunity, the social contract between the state and the citizen is shattered. We are past the time for promises. We are tired of promises. Actions that will sweep away insurgency are what we want,” Bishop Oke said.

The cleric stated that the killing of the teacher demanded justice and not mere condolences.

“The blood of Mr Oyedokun cries out for justice, not platitudes. For years, PFN warned that insurgency, banditry and kidnapping, if left unchecked, would metastasise across Nigeria. Today, those warnings have come to pass: the same brutality once confined to the North has crossed the Niger,” he said.

PFN also urged governments at both the federal and state levels to adopt coordinated security responses nationwide.

“A threat to a child in Ahoro-Esinle is a threat to a child in Abeokuta, Enugu, Katsina and every community in Nigeria. The enemy has declared that no classroom is sacred, no teacher is immune from attacks and no child is safe,” the statement said.

The fellowship called for immediate rescue operations and urged authorities to deploy all available intelligence, personnel and technology to secure the release of the abducted pupils, teachers and staff members.

PFN further demanded the identification, arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the attack, including perpetrators, financiers and planners of the crime.

MUSWEN condemns abduction of Oyo pupils, teachers, demands stronger security measures
THE Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) has condemned the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing the incident as a brutal attack on education and the future of the country.

The group also decried the killing of one of the abducted teachers, Mr Michael Oyedokun, whose death was confirmed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde after a video linked to the incident surfaced online.

In a statement issued yesterday and signed by MUSWEN President, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, and the organisation’s Executive Secretary, Prof Wole Abbas, the Islamic body expressed sorrow over the abduction and killing.

MUSWEN said it was deeply saddened by what it described as a “heinous crime” against innocent schoolchildren and educators.

“Kidnapping for ransom and the cold-blooded murder of a teacher in the course of performing his duties represent the height of inhumanity and a direct assault on the educational foundation of our society,” the statement said.

The organisation said it stood in solidarity with the families of the victims and residents of Oyo State during the difficult period.

MUSWEN called on security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the immediate and unconditional release of the remaining abducted pupils and teachers.

The group also urged the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to adopt a more proactive and comprehensive strategy in tackling insecurity.

According to the organisation, efforts to address the growing security challenges should extend beyond military operations to include improved intelligence gathering, community policing and measures aimed at addressing socio-economic conditions contributing to criminal activities.

“MUSWEN calls on the relevant security agencies to do everything within their powers to ensure the safe rescue of all hostages,” the statement added.

The body further appealed to residents of affected communities and members of the public to cooperate with security operatives by providing useful information that could aid rescue operations.

It also urged residents to remain calm and avoid actions that can jeopardise ongoing security efforts.

MUSWEN prayed for the repose of the slain teacher and the safe return of the abducted pupils and staff members.

The organisation also encouraged Muslim communities across the South-West to support affected families through prayers and material assistance where possible.

MUSWEN stressed that the protection of schools, teachers and learners must remain a national priority, warning that continued attacks on educational institutions could have long-term consequences for the country’s development.

The group reiterated its readiness to work with governments, security agencies and other stakeholders to combat insecurity and protect lives and property.

Oyo NLC condemns Ogbomoso abduction, seeks intensified rescue efforts
THE Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) condemned the recent bandit attack and abduction in the Ogbomoso axis of the state, describing the incident as a serious threat to public safety and peace in Oyo State.

In a statement issued in Ibadan by the state chairman of the union, Kayode Martins, the labour movement expressed concern over the trauma and hardship inflicted on affected families, schools and communities following the attack.

The council described the incident as a criminal assault on innocent citizens and warned that persistent insecurity could undermine educational stability and socio-economic development in the state.

The NLC sympathised with residents of Ogbomoso, the Oyo State Government and the Nigeria Union of Teachers over reports that teachers, pupils and other residents were affected by the attack.

While commending security agencies and the state government for ongoing rescue efforts and measures aimed at restoring calm, the union called for intensified operations to secure the release of the abducted victims.

The labour centre also urged authorities to act decisively by ensuring that those responsible for the attack are apprehended and prosecuted.

According to the statement, the safety of workers, teachers, students and residents must remain a priority for governments at all levels.

The union prayed for the safe return of all abducted victims and called for lasting peace and stability across Oyo State and the country.