President Bola Tinubu on Monday vowed that all students, pupils and teachers abducted during last Friday’s attack on schools in Oyo State would be rescued, as he ordered an intensified manhunt for the perpetrators following the reported killing of one of the kidnapped teachers.

The President, who described the killing as barbaric and unacceptable, assured residents that security agencies were working round the clock to secure the victims’ release and bring the abductors and their collaborators to justice.

The attack occurred in the Esiele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where armed bandits invaded schools and abducted staff, students and pupils of Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, triggering outrage and anxiety among residents.

Tinubu’s assurance was contained in a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Reacting to the incident, the President sympathised with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, the state government and families of the abducted victims, while commending steps already taken by the governor to address the situation.

“I am saddened by the reported killing of one of the teachers kidnapped by the gunmen who invaded the community. I sympathise with Governor Seyi Makinde and commend the steps he has taken on the matter. I sympathise with the families of the kidnapped victims,” Tinubu said.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had activated a joint rescue operation with the Oyo State Government, expressing optimism that security agencies would soon secure a breakthrough.

“The Federal Government is working with the Oyo State government to rescue all the victims,” he added.

Tinubu also commended the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioners of Police in Oyo and Kwara states for their swift intervention, particularly the deployment of tactical teams and operatives of the Intelligence Response Team.

According to the President, the Inspector-General of Police is personally leading a technology-driven operation aimed at tracking the abductors and dismantling their network.

“The IGP, following my instructions, is personally leading the tech-driven operation. We expect a breakthrough soon. The bandits and all their local collaborators will be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law,” the President stated.

Tinubu further renewed calls for the establishment of state police, arguing that the growing wave of kidnappings across parts of the country had exposed security gaps in underserved communities.

“Cases of kidnapping further make imperative the establishment of state police to man some of our underserved areas. The National Assembly should accelerate the enactment of the law creating state police,” he said.

The latest attack has heightened concerns over insecurity in Oyo State, with residents calling for urgent action to curb rising abductions targeting schools and rural communities.

Gunmen on Friday invaded Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting the school principal and an unspecified number of students during a brazen attack that has thrown the community into panic.

The incident reportedly occurred between 8am and 9am when the attackers stormed the school premises and began shooting sporadically, forcing students and teachers to flee for safety.

Residents told our correspondent that the assailants whisked away the school principal, Mrs Rachael Alamu, alongside several students whose exact number had yet to be confirmed as of the time of filing this report.

A teacher was also reportedly shot during the invasion, although the severity of the injury could not be immediately ascertained.

One of the residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, said the attackers operated for several minutes without resistance before escaping into a nearby forest reserve.

“The gunmen came heavily armed and invaded the school while activities were ongoing. They abducted the principal and some students. One teacher was shot during the attack.

The entire community is in fear right now,” the source said.

Another resident disclosed that the gunmen fled the scene in the principal’s vehicle and escaped through a forest route linking neighbouring communities.

Parents and residents were said to have stormed the school shortly after the incident amid fears over the safety of the abducted victims.

Some residents blamed the delayed response of security operatives on the absence of a nearby police formation in the area.

“The nearest police station is far from this community. Before security operatives could arrive, the attackers had already escaped into the forest,” another source added.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said the command had launched an operation in the area.

Ayanlade, however, noted that the exact number of abducted students had yet to be verified.

“Yes, there was an attack in the area. The Commissioner of Police and tactical teams have moved to the community for on-the-spot assessment and necessary action.

We are still verifying the number of victims involved,” he said.

The latest attack has heightened concerns over insecurity in rural communities across the state, particularly attacks targeting schools and vulnerable residents.

Residents of the Hotoro area of Kano were thrown into panic after a woman allegedly set her co-wife and two children ablaze in a late-night domestic attack.

The incident occurred on Monday night in the Mai Allo area of Hotoro, leaving four persons with varying degrees of burns.

The victims — a 28-year-old woman and her two children aged seven and three — are currently receiving treatment at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala and Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital.

Their father, who reportedly sustained injuries while attempting to rescue the victims from the inferno, is also undergoing treatment.

A relative of the family informed that they received a distress call around 3am informing them that the woman, her husband and the children had been set ablaze.

According to the source, the victim had spent less than two weeks in her matrimonial home before the attack occurred.

“She is about 28 years old. The children are from her previous marriage. They are stepchildren to the husband, who works as a tricycle rider,” the relative added.

Residents of the area described the incident as horrifying and called on security agencies to ensure justice was served.

“We are shocked by what happened. This kind of violence has no place in our community,” a resident said.

The suspect has since been taken into custody at the Mariri Police Division.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kano State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.