- The Yoruba Council of Elders condemned the coordinated abduction of pupils, students and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State
- The group called on the Federal Government to deploy security forces and intelligence resources to ensure the safe release of all abducted victims
- It urged South-West governors to strengthen regional security cooperation, empower Amotekun, and establish joint intelligence systems to prevent further attacks
The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, has strongly condemned the coordinated abduction of pupils, students, and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing the attack as a grave assault on education and national conscience.
The affected schools include Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esinele; and L.A. Primary School. The incident reportedly occurred on Friday, 15 May 2026.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its Secretary-General, Chief Oladipo Oyewole, the group said the attack on innocent schoolchildren and their teachers was not only a crime against Oyo State but also an attack on the future of the South-West and the fundamental right of children to learn in safety.
“Schools must never become hunting grounds for kidnappers and bandits,” Oyewole said, condemning the growing trend of attacks on educational institutions across the country.
The council called on the Federal Government to urgently deploy special forces, intelligence resources, and logistical support to ensure the safe and unconditional release of all abducted victims.
“In the face of this ugly occurrence, we call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately deploy special forces, intelligence assets and logistics support to ensure the safe and unconditional release of all abducted victims,” the statement read.
The Yoruba elders also urged governors in the South-West states of Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, and Lagos to set aside political differences and collaborate more closely in addressing the worsening security situation across the region.
According to the group, the increasing cases of abductions suggest a deeper national security crisis that requires coordinated regional intervention.
“Without gainsaying, Yorubaland cannot afford to become the next frontier of mass abduction,” Oyewole warned.
He added that the Oyo incident should be treated as a symptom of a broader security breakdown and called for the strengthening of community-based and regional security structures across the South-West.
The council specifically recommended the empowerment of the Amotekun Security Network through improved training, better equipment, and stronger legal backing to enhance intelligence-led operations.
“It is necessary at this crucial period for the six governors in the South-West to recognise the statutory roles of the office of the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, along with Chief Sunday Igboho, and their immense contributions to promoting peace in Yorubaland,” the statement added.
The group further urged South-West governors to engage traditional and indigenous security stakeholders, alongside other relevant organisations, to expand security coverage and intelligence gathering across the region.
Oyewole also called on Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to spearhead the creation of a joint South-West security task force to facilitate real-time intelligence sharing among the six states and curb cross-border criminal movement.
“We further call on the Governor of Oyo State to quickly establish a joint security task force for real-time intelligence sharing across the six states to prevent cross-border movement of criminals,” he said.
The council also advocated the deployment of Armed School Protection Units in high-risk local government areas, particularly those bordering forest zones, to prevent future attacks on educational institutions.
“There should be the deployment of Armed School Protection Units in high-risk local government areas, especially those areas bordering forest spaces,” Oyewole stated.
The group expressed solidarity with the families of the abducted victims and sympathised with the relatives of a Mathematics teacher who was reportedly killed during the attack.
“Our children all over Yorubaland are not to be used as collateral damage. Every day we delay this decisive action, we may lose another child’s future and another parent’s peace of mind,” the statement warned.