Fear and tension spread across parts of Oyo State on Friday after armed men invaded two schools in Oriire Local Government Area, killing a teacher and abducting pupils, students and members of staff in a coordinated attack that has shocked residents and raised fresh concerns over insecurity in schools.
The attack, which happened in the early hours of Thursday, May 15, 2026, targeted Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota and Community Grammar School/L.A. Primary School in Esiele community.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the incident on Friday, saying a full rescue operation and manhunt for the attackers had begun.
According to the police, the gunmen arrived on motorcycles and carried out simultaneous attacks on the schools and nearby communities before escaping into the forest with several victims.
The spokesperson for the command, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, said preliminary investigations showed that the attackers abducted pupils, students and school workers, including the Vice Principal of Community Grammar School, Mrs Alamu Folawe.
The police also confirmed the killing of an assistant headmaster identified as Mr Adesiyan during the attack.
“No pupil or student has been confirmed dead as of now,” the police said, while assuring residents that security agencies were working hard to rescue those kidnapped.
The incident has thrown the affected communities into mourning and panic, with many parents and residents still searching for information about the whereabouts of the abducted victims.
Residents said the sound of gunshots caused confusion in the communities as people ran for safety while the attackers moved from one location to another.
Apart from killing the assistant headmaster, the gunmen also reportedly shot dead a commercial motorcycle rider, popularly known as an okada rider, after he resisted attempts to seize his motorcycle.
Police authorities said the attackers later stole a Toyota Corolla vehicle belonging to the abducted vice principal before setting it ablaze along a road leading into the forest.
“The command further gathered that Community Grammar School, Esiele, operates within the same premises as L.A. Primary School, Esiele,” the statement said.
“The attackers, after abducting some victims, also took away a Toyota Corolla vehicle belonging to the abducted Vice Principal and later set the vehicle ablaze along the road leading to the forest.”
Following the attack, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, reportedly led security operatives and other service commanders to the affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment.
The police said tactical units, intelligence officers and operational teams had been deployed across the area to prevent further attacks and track down the gunmen.
“Operational assets, tactical teams and intelligence platforms have since been deployed to the affected communities to prevent any further breakdown of law and order, ensure public safety and facilitate the rescue of the abducted victims as well as the apprehension of those responsible for the heinous act,” the statement added.
The police also appealed to residents to remain calm and provide useful information that could assist ongoing rescue efforts.
The latest attack has once again drawn attention to growing concerns over insecurity in parts of the country, especially attacks targeting schools and rural communities.
In recent years, schools in different parts of Nigeria have become targets for kidnappers and armed groups seeking ransom payments. Several students and teachers have been abducted in mass kidnappings, forcing some schools to shut down temporarily or strengthen security around their premises.
Although such incidents have been more common in parts of northern Nigeria, security experts say criminal groups are increasingly spreading their activities to other regions, including the South-West.
Many residents in Oyo State expressed shock that schools in the state could be attacked in such a violent manner.
Parents in the affected communities were seen gathering around the schools on Friday, anxiously waiting for updates from security officials.
Some residents blamed the attack on weak security presence in remote communities, saying gunmen often take advantage of poor road networks and nearby forests to operate freely.
Community leaders in Oriire Local Government reportedly held emergency meetings after the incident as fear spread among villagers.
Education stakeholders have also reacted with concern, warning that repeated attacks on schools could discourage parents from sending their children to school.
A teacher in the area, who spoke anonymously, said many school workers were now living in fear.
“We are teachers, not security officers. We go to school every day hoping to educate children, but now everybody is afraid,” the teacher said.
The attack has also renewed calls for stronger security around schools, especially in rural communities where security response is often slow.
In the past, both federal and state governments introduced different measures to improve school safety, including fencing schools, deploying security personnel and strengthening intelligence gathering around vulnerable communities.
However, many rural schools across the country still lack adequate protection.
The Federal Government had previously launched the Safe School Initiative following a series of attacks on schools in parts of the country. The programme was designed to improve security infrastructure and emergency response systems in schools.
Despite these efforts, many Nigerians believe more needs to be done to protect students, teachers and school workers from violent attacks.
Political and community leaders in Oyo State have also begun condemning the latest incident.
Some residents called on the state government to work closely with security agencies and local vigilante groups to secure forests and rural roads around the affected communities.
Others urged the government to provide support for families affected by the attack, especially relatives of those killed and abducted.
As of Friday evening, security agencies had not released the exact number of abducted pupils and staff members.
Families of the victims continued to wait anxiously for positive news while security operatives intensified search efforts in nearby forests and communities.
The killing of the assistant headmaster, described by residents as a dedicated education worker, has also deepened sadness in the area.
For many people in Oriire Local Government, the attack represents not just a security failure but a direct assault on education and the future of children in the community.
With fears rising among parents and school authorities, attention is now focused on the rescue operation and whether security agencies can quickly bring the perpetrators to justice and safely return the abducted victims to their families.