The coordinated abduction of more than 45 students, teachers, and pupils from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, on Friday, May 15, 2026, has been condemned by the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE).
Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yaworan, Community Grammar School, Esiele, and L. A. Primary School are the institutions that have been impacted.
The attack was described by Yoruba Elders 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” in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Chief Oladipo Oyewole.
According to the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization, schools should never be used as a hunting ground for bandits and criminals.
“We urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to promptly deploy special forces, intelligence assets, and logistics support to guarantee the safe and unconditional release of all abducted victims in light of this unsightly incident,” the statement stated.
YCE also urged the Governors of the six Southwest states – Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, and Lagos – to transcend partisan boundaries and utilise all available strategic resources through inter-state cooperation to protect lives and property.
“The Council unequivocally stated that Yorubaland cannot afford to become the next frontier of mass abduction.”
The group posited that the Oyo incident is a symptom of a more profound national security crisis and, as a result, advocated for the enhancement of community and regional security architecture throughout Yorubaland.
YCE emphasised the urgent need for Southwest governments to promptly provide the Amotekun Corps with the requisite materials, increased training, improved instruments, and legal support for intelligence-led operations.
The Council also stated that it is imperative for the six governors to acknowledge the statutory duties of the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, as well as the contributions of Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, in fostering peace in Yorubaland, during this time.
“The six Southwest governors should therefore engage them, as well as similar indigenous security groups and other well-meaning individuals and organisations in the Southwest, to expand their dragnet in the protection of our territories,” YCE stated.
The group also urged the Governor of Oyo State to promptly establish a joint security task force to prevent the cross-border movement of criminals by facilitating real-time intelligence sharing across the six states.
The deployment of Armed School Protection Units in high-risk Local Government Areas, particularly those adjacent to forest reserves, was also recommended by YCE.
We are not to allow our children in Yorubaland to be used as collateral damage. The statement further stated that each day that we delay in taking this decisive action, we may forfeit the future of another child and the peace of mind of another parent.
The Council expressed its solidarity with the families of the abducted students and its condolences for the family of the Mathematics instructor who was allegedly murdered by the bandits during the attack.
YCE prayed that the Almighty God would provide the strength and fortitude necessary for all those who were directly impacted to endure the irreparable loss.
The abductions have reignited the need for urgent reforms in school security and regional collaboration throughout the Southwest.