Communities around the Old Oyo National Park and within Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are in an uproar, appealing to Governor Seyi Makinde for urgent intervention following the abduction of 32 schoolchildren, teachers, and a school mistress. The incident, which occurred during coordinated attacks on Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Ahoro-Esiele community, has exacerbated fears over worsening insecurity in the region.

Local hunters and vigilantes, who ventured into the forest in search of the abductees, have faced deadly attacks from the suspected terrorists. In a viral video, a local hunter emotionally recounted how at least three local rescuers were killed during their attempts. “We went into the bush to rescue the abductees, but the bandits killed two of our men two days ago and another one yesterday,” he lamented, appealing directly to Governor Makinde for government assistance, stating that local residents feel abandoned to battle the terrorists alone.

The Baale of Esiele, Alhaji Tajudeen Abioye, confirmed that the community has endured repeated attacks on farmers and farmlands, resulting in at least three farmer deaths even before the recent school abductions. Residents, like Mr. Jimoh, noted that these attacks involve not only crop destruction but also assaults on farmers. The proximity of the community to a vast forest reserve allows attackers to operate and escape easily. Jimoh highlighted that while security personnel are occasionally deployed, these efforts are often temporary, calling for a more permanent and coordinated security arrangement to protect them.

Adding to the community's distress, security operatives reportedly informed residents that investigations suggest the kidnappers have collaborators within the community, deepening suspicion among locals. This aligns with long-held suspicions of insider involvement, particularly concerning recurring encounters with armed herders who live among them.

A harrowing account from a 12-year-old survivor, Aminah, revealed the terror experienced during the attack. She recounted how her teacher allegedly fled upon hearing gunshots, leaving pupils to jump through windows and hide in the bush for hours until evening, when community residents came searching for survivors. The Oyo State Police Command, through DSP Oluyinka Ayanlade, confirmed that seven secondary school students, 18 primary school pupils, and seven teachers, including Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, remain unaccounted for.

In response to the escalating crisis, Governor Seyi Makinde announced that surveillance aircraft acquired by the state government to bolster security operations have arrived in Nigeria and are being assembled at a Nigerian Air Force facility in Lagos. These aircraft are intended to support intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance against kidnapping and other violent attacks across the state. Meanwhile, the management of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in nearby Ogbomoso has moved to calm fears, assuring students and staff that the institution remains safe and academic activities will continue without disruption. They urged the university community to avoid spreading unverified information and reiterated their commitment to safety.

The repeated incidents have triggered widespread panic, leading many parents to withdraw their children from schools across Oyo State, underscoring the severe impact of insecurity around forest corridors that are increasingly identified as hideouts for armed gangs and kidnappers.