Bandits
On May 15, 2026, armed gunmen launched a coordinated attack on three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area near Ogbomoso in Oyo State, southwestern Nigeria: Baptist Nursery and Primary School (Yawota), Community High School/Grammar School (Ahoro-Esinle/Esiele), and L.A. Primary School.
The attackers abducted approximately 39 students (including very young children/toddlers aged 2–16) and 7 teachers, totaling around 46 victims.
They also stole motorcycles from locals. One teacher, Michael Oyedokun (also referred to as Olugbade), was brutally k!lled and beheaded, with a video of the act circulating and sparking national outrage.
This marked one of the first major school mass abductions in the Southwest, raising fears that banditry and kidnapping tactics previously more common in the North are spreading southward. Security sources have linked the perpetrators to dislodged terrorists or bandits pushed from other regions.
Alleged list of ransom requested:
1. 1 billion naira to be paid to one account in Benin republic .
2. The Oyo state government should release the other bandits in Agodi and Abolongo prison.
3. 2 Toyota Hilux
4. Concession of some #oyo state law in favour of the bandits ( land and Sharia law )
Ransom demands and government response:
Reports from late May confirm the kidnappers have contacted authorities (directly or indirectly) and demanded ransom. The exact figure remains undisclosed publicly, but families are pressuring the Oyo State Government to negotiate and pay for the safe release of their loved ones.
Governor Seyi Makinde has publicly stated the government is ready to listen to and address the kidnappers’ demands where possible to save lives, while coordinating with federal forces, police, military, and DSS.
Efforts include military jets on sorties, a police helicopter on standby, and operations around Oyo National Park where the kidnappers are believed to be hiding. Some local informants have been arrested. However, the Oyo State House of Assembly has rejected negotiations, calling instead for intensified rescue operations.
Ongoing crisis (as of early June 2026):
1. Victims remain in captivity (with some reports of partial numbers still held after nearly three weeks).
2. One teacher was confirmed alive in earlier updates, but the situation is fluid and tense.
3. Nationwide protests by teachers (Nigeria Union of Teachers), including strikes in Oyo, marches in Lagos and other states, and appeals from families.
4. Emotional videos have emerged, including pleas from abducted teachers/principals and distraught relatives (one grandmother with four grandchildren and a daughter-in-law among the victims).
Federal involvement:
President Bola Tinubu has been briefed; delegations visited the area.
Broader context:
Sunday Igboho and others have offered local security support or made unverified claims about political sponsorship.
The incident has intensified national debate on insecurity, school safety, forest bandit hideouts, and the need for better coordination between federal and state security.
Families reject palliatives like rice/cash and demand the immediate safe return of their children and teachers. One teacher’s family is also pressing for recovery of the beheaded victim’s body for burial.
This remains a developing story with heavy emotional and political weight across Nigeria. Security operations continue amid public pressure for a swift, non-violent resolution.
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