The Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, has strongly condemned the coordinated abduction of more than 45 pupils, students and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The attack, which occurred on Friday, May 15, 2026, targeted Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yaworan; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and L.A. Primary School.
In a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Chief Oladipo Oyewole, the Council described the incident as “not just a crime against Oyo State, but an assault on the conscience of Nigeria, on the future of the Southwest, and on the sacred right of every child to learn in safety.”
The group stressed that schools must never be turned into targets for kidnappers and bandits, warning that the growing insecurity across the region demands urgent and decisive action.
YCE called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately deploy special forces, intelligence assets and logistical support to secure the safe and unconditional release of all abducted victims.
The Council also urged governors of the six Southwest states — Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Lagos — to strengthen inter-state collaboration and deploy all available resources toward protecting lives and property.
“Yorubaland cannot afford to become the next frontier of mass abduction,” the statement warned.
According to the group, the incident in Oyo reflects a deeper national security crisis and highlights the urgent need to strengthen community-based and regional security structures across the Southwest.
YCE specifically called for improved support for the Amotekun Corps through enhanced training, better equipment and stronger legal backing to enable intelligence-driven operations.
The Council further urged Southwest governors to recognize and engage the office of the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, alongside contributions from Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, and other indigenous security groups in efforts to safeguard the region.
It also called on the Oyo State Government to establish a joint security task force that would facilitate real-time intelligence sharing among Southwest states to prevent the cross-border movement of criminals.
As part of its recommendations, YCE advocated the deployment of Armed School Protection Units in high-risk local government areas, especially communities bordering forest reserves.
“Our children all over Yorubaland are not to be used as collateral damage. Every day we delay decisive action, we risk losing another child’s future and another parent’s peace of mind,” the Council stated.
The group expressed solidarity with the families of the abducted victims and sympathized with the family of the Mathematics teacher reportedly killed during the attack.
YCE also prayed for strength and comfort for all affected families as concerns continue to grow over rising insecurity and renewed calls for reforms in school protection and regional security coordination across the Southwest.
Comments