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.

The Federal Government on Wednesday disclosed that no fewer than 226 Local Government Areas across 33 states and the Federal Capital Territory fall within high flood-risk zones in 2026.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev, made this known during the public presentation of the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency held at the State Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Utsev said a total of 14,118 communities in 266 LGAs across the affected states and the FCT had been identified as highly vulnerable to flooding.

He listed the states as Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, and the FCT.

The minister added that 405 LGAs in 35 states fall within the moderate flood-risk category, with Ekiti State as the only state not captured under this classification.
He further noted that 923 communities in 77 LGAs across 24 states would experience minimal flooding.

“Low flood risk incidences are expected in Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara,” Utsev said.

The minister also disclosed that the 2026 Annual Flood Outlook introduced a community-based flood forecasting system designed to provide location-specific predictions for faster response and intervention.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening emergency response systems and promoting sustainable development nationwide.

Represented by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, the President said the government had reviewed existing challenges and acknowledged the critical role of rescue teams in mitigating disasters.

He noted that efforts were ongoing to enhance the capacity and coordination of relevant ministries for more effective and timely emergency responses.
Tinubu stressed that improved communication, strategic planning, and collaboration remained vital to addressing emerging challenges and ensuring better service delivery.

The President added that with strengthened systems in place, the government was confident of mitigating risks and improving outcomes for citizens.

The event, themed ‘Smart Water Resources Management: Moving From Oil To A Water-Based Economy’, was attended by ministers and key stakeholders in the water and environmental sectors.