President Bola Tinubu has dispatched a high-powered delegation of top government and security officials to Oyo State following the abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers from schools in two communities in the state.
The delegation, led by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, includes the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, and the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications, Sunday Dare.
The officials were sent to Esiele and Yawota villages in the Ogbomoso axis of Oyo State after armed men reportedly attacked schools in the communities and kidnapped dozens of pupils and teachers.
The development has sparked concern among residents, parents and education stakeholders, with many calling for urgent action to secure the release of the victims and improve security around schools.
Sunday Dare disclosed the visit in a post on his X account on Sunday, saying the presidential team had arrived in Ogbomoso and was heading to the affected communities.
According to him, the attack occurred when armed men simultaneously raided Baptist Nursery and Primary Schools in Esiele and Yawota villages, located within Orire Local Government Area.
“A powerful Presidential Delegation just arrived Ogbomoso en route to the villages of Esiele and Yawota where armed men simultaneously raided Baptist Nursery and Primary schools, seizing about 46 pupils and teachers,” Dare stated.
He added that President Tinubu had already activated coordinated efforts involving security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of the victims and the arrest of those responsible for the attack.
“The President has since set in motion a series of coordinated efforts to free the victims and arrest the kidnappers,” he said.
Although details of how the attack was carried out were still emerging as of Sunday, local sources said the incident caused panic in the affected communities, with parents and residents anxiously waiting for information about the whereabouts of the abducted children and teachers.
The deployment of senior government officials to the area highlights the seriousness with which the Federal Government is treating the incident. It is also expected to reassure residents that efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the victims.
School abductions have become a major security concern in Nigeria over the past few years. Several states in the northern part of the country have witnessed mass kidnappings of students by armed groups seeking ransom payments.
Some of the most notable incidents include the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, in 2014, and the kidnapping of students from schools in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Zamfara states in more recent years.
While security agencies have succeeded in rescuing many victims and securing the release of others, concerns remain over the continued vulnerability of schools, especially those located in remote rural communities.
The Federal Government had earlier introduced the Safe Schools Initiative and other security measures aimed at protecting students and educational institutions from attacks. However, security experts have repeatedly called for stronger surveillance, improved intelligence gathering and greater community involvement in protecting schools.
The latest incident in Oyo State is particularly significant because the South-West region has generally recorded fewer large-scale school abductions compared to some parts of northern Nigeria. The attack has therefore raised fresh concerns about the spread of kidnapping activities into new areas.
Residents of the affected communities have appealed to security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and ensure the victims are returned safely to their families. Community leaders have also urged the government to strengthen security presence in rural areas where schools are often exposed to attacks.
Political leaders and civil society groups have similarly condemned the abduction, describing it as an attack on education and the future of the country’s children.
As the presidential delegation visits the affected villages, attention is expected to focus on ongoing rescue operations and measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
For many families in Esiele and Yawota, however, the immediate concern remains the safe return of their children and teachers.
Security agencies have not yet announced any arrests in connection with the abduction, but officials say efforts are underway to track down the kidnappers and secure the freedom of all those taken during the attack.
The incident adds to the growing challenge of insecurity facing several parts of the country and underscores the need for sustained action to protect schools, communities and vulnerable citizens from criminal attacks.
With the President personally directing response efforts and senior officials already on the ground, expectations are high that the victims will be rescued quickly and that those behind the abduction will be brought to justice.