IBADAN: Governor Seyi Makinde has confirmed that one of the seven teachers abducted during the recent attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area has been killed by the attackers.
The victims were kidnapped on Friday when armed men riding motorcycles invaded communities in the Ahoro-Esiele/Yawota axis of Ogbomoso, targeting several schools, including Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.
Speaking during a press briefing, Makinde said the state government received a video from the captors showing that one of the abducted teachers, identified as a mathematics teacher, had been killed in captivity.
The governor said seven teachers were taken during the attack, while the exact number of abducted pupils has not yet been officially confirmed.
The assault also claimed the lives of an assistant headmaster, identified as Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist during the initial invasion.
Following the attack, security agencies launched a rescue operation involving the police, military, local hunters, and the Western Nigeria Security Network.
Makinde disclosed that six persons were arrested within the affected communities for allegedly acting as informants or logistics providers for the attackers. Three additional persons of interest were also detained as investigations widened.
He added that some Amotekun operatives sustained injuries after encountering improvised explosive devices planted by the gunmen during pursuit operations near the forested area around Old Oyo National Park.
The governor linked the attack to increased military pressure on insurgents in northeastern Nigeria, warning that terrorist groups are relocating to other regions, including the South-West.
According to him, intensified operations against insurgents in the North-East have forced some armed groups to move south, making states like Oyo newly vulnerable to such attacks.
Makinde said the state government would combine military and non-military approaches to secure the release of the remaining abductees, assuring residents that efforts were ongoing despite the difficult terrain and security challenges.
Videos circulating on social media have shown some of the abducted teachers pleading for urgent intervention, while one of them, school principal Rachael Alamu, appealed for government assistance to prevent further killings.
The incident has renewed concerns over the spread of insurgent violence beyond Nigeria’s traditional conflict zones and raised fears about the safety of schools in rural communities.
