The Oyo State House of Assembly, through its Speaker Debo Ogundoyin, has firmly declared that the Oyo State Government will not engage in negotiations with the terrorists responsible for the May 15 abduction of students and teachers from the Orire Local Government Area. This stance was articulated during a plenary session, following the seizure of victims from the Esienle and Yawota communities. While initial reports indicated 45 students and seven teachers were abducted, subsequent police statements referred to approximately 39 pupils and 7 teachers, with a later debunked claim mentioning 42 students and 7 teachers.

Speaker Ogundoyin revealed that the abductors had presented specific conditions for the victims' release, which notably included demands for weapons, money, and concessions on future Nigerian laws. He emphasized the government's position by asking, “If it was up to you, will you negotiate with terrorists? If terrorists ask for weapons, money, concession on future laws of this land as part of their ransom?” He further warned that acceding to such demands would only embolden the terrorist groups, stating, “The more you negotiate with these people, the more you are going to embolden them.” Despite the refusal to negotiate, Ogundoyin assured the public that the administration is actively deploying all necessary resources to ensure the safe rescue and return of the captive pupils and teachers.

Amidst the ongoing crisis, a claim circulated widely on social media that the abducted schoolchildren and teachers had been rescued. This false report, disseminated via a now-deleted Facebook post attributed to Tope Fasua, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Economic Affairs, alleged that all captives were freed in a joint security operation involving the military, police, and forest rangers. It also falsely claimed that the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had called off an indefinite strike based on this purported rescue. However, Olayinka Ayanlade, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), unequivocally dismissed these claims as “unfounded, untrue, and false” when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES. Ayanlade stressed that while efforts to rescue the victims are tirelessly ongoing, there had been no “successful rescue” development, urging the public to disregard the report entirely.

The protracted captivity of the students and teachers, who had spent about 19 days in captivity at the time of some reports, ignited widespread outrage and led to a significant protest in Abuja. Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, alongside the Take It Back Movement, led a mass protest on Thursday, demanding the immediate release of abducted schoolchildren and teachers from Oyo, Borno, and other parts of Nigeria. Sowore launched a scathing attack on President Bola Tinubu, holding him responsible for the worsening insecurity and calling on him to secure the captives or resign.

Ahead of the planned demonstration, heavy security was deployed around the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Armed soldiers, police officers, and operatives from various security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), were strategically stationed at key entry points. This deployment restricted movement, mounted checkpoints, and erected barricades on major roads leading to the Federal Secretariat, National Assembly, and Supreme Court, causing severe traffic congestion and stranding many commuters. Sowore confirmed that protesters intended to march to the Presidential Villa but were blocked by the heavy security presence, opting for a peaceful demonstration. He described the protest as a “rehearsal” for a broader “revolutionary push” against poor governance and insecurity, insisting that mass action would force accountability.

The abductions and the subsequent public reactions underscore the growing concern over recurring mass kidnappings, the safety of schools, and the urgent demand for improved security and greater accountability from government authorities across Nigeria.