Oyo State has recently been gripped by a series of harrowing kidnapping incidents, particularly targeting schoolchildren and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area, specifically in the Ogbomoso region. On May 15, gunmen launched coordinated attacks on Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Ahoro Esiele and Yawota areas, abducting dozens of pupils, students, and teachers. Reports indicate that more than 30 individuals were taken, including primary school children and secondary school students. The attacks resulted in tragic casualties, with teacher Adesiyan Adegboye killed during the initial assault and another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, reportedly beheaded in captivity, an incident further highlighted by a viral video.

In response to the escalating security situation, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has ordered the immediate deployment of special forces and aerial surveillance units to Oyo State. The Defence Headquarters confirmed this move, stating its aim is to bolster security operations, ensure the arrest of perpetrators, and restore peace. Military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja conveyed the Armed Forces' acknowledgment of the crisis and offered condolences to affected families, adding that the CDS has directed an expanded security response featuring aerial monitoring and specialized ground troops collaborating with state authorities. He affirmed that intelligence-led operations were already underway and promised sustained pressure until all perpetrators are apprehended and security is fully restored. The Defence Headquarters also provided nationwide operational figures for May 2026, reporting arrests, rescue of kidnapped civilians, surrender of militants, and recovery of weapons and petroleum products across the country, indicating mixed but generally improved outcomes in arrests and civilian rescues.

At the state level, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde extended his deepest sympathies to the families of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers. In a message marking Eid-el-Kabir and Children’s Day, Governor Makinde expressed solidarity, stating his thoughts were with the families awaiting the return of their loved ones and with the security agencies working tirelessly for their safe release. He assured the public that the government is actively working to secure the freedom of those kidnapped in Oriire LGA. Reports suggest that the abductors have initiated communication with the state government, though specific details of these discussions remain undisclosed. The Governor also urged residents to remain vigilant due to ongoing security challenges.

The repeated abductions and the broader issue of insecurity have drawn strong condemnation and emotional appeals from public figures. Former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili issued a stern warning to President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and other political leaders, urging them not to issue Children’s Day messages given the pervasive insecurity and school abductions. In a post on X, Mrs. Ezekwesili asserted that Nigerian leaders lacked the moral standing to wish children a 'Happy Children’s Day,' highlighting their failure to address insecurity, improve education, and ensure child welfare. She referenced school abductions in Oyo, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, and Sokoto states, as well as the 2014 Chibok tragedy, emphasizing that the terror has now chillingly expanded to the southwest. Ezekwesili criticized government spending priorities, accusing leaders of neglecting children while misusing public resources, and declared that any Children’s Day statement failing to address insecurity, education, and child welfare would inflict a 'fresh wound' on Nigerian children. She demanded transparency on government efforts to rescue abducted children and enhance school safety, stating that 'a government that cannot protect its children has forfeited the right to celebrate them.'

Celebrities and social media influencers also used Children's Day to voice their anguish and call for action. Toke Makinwa, Rudeboy, and Ruth Kadiri described it as an 'unhappy Children’s Day,' calling for the safe return of the Oyo victims and urging Nigerians to continue speaking up, praying, and demanding accountability. Social media personality Enioluwa Adeoluwa dedicated Children’s Day to the abducted Ogbomoso children, asserting that 'children deserve safety, care, and protection.' He expressed profound sadness that classrooms, meant to nurture dreams, have become places of fear, emphatically stating, 'This can never become our new normal.'