By Peter Dansu Panic swept across parts of Oyo State on Friday after heavily armed terrorists launched coordinated attacks on three schools...
By Peter Dansu
Panic swept across parts of Oyo State on Friday after heavily armed terrorists launched coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, killing an assistant headmaster, abducting pupils and teachers, and forcing residents to flee their communities in fear.
The affected schools were Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, Esiele, and L.A. Primary School.
Residents described the assault as one of the most brazen attacks on school communities in recent years, as the gunmen reportedly moved from one school to another in broad daylight without resistance.
The attackers were said to have stormed the communities around 9am on motorcycles shortly after pupils assembled for morning activities.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants fired sporadically as they invaded the schools, sending terrified pupils, teachers and residents running into nearby bushes for safety.
“They came in large numbers on motorcycles and started shooting immediately. Everybody ran. They moved from one school to another within minutes,” a resident said.
The Assistant Headmaster of L.A. Primary School, Joel Adesiyan, was shot dead during the chaos while reportedly attempting to escape through a window.
His killing has thrown the local education community into mourning, with colleagues describing him as a committed and hardworking educator.
In another tragic development, an okada rider was also killed after unknowingly riding into the scene during the attack. The gunmen later seized his motorcycle and reportedly used it during the operation.
The terrorists abducted the principal of Community Grammar School, Mrs Rachael Alamu, alongside five teachers and several pupils whose exact number remained unknown as of Friday night.
Residents said the attackers moved swiftly between classrooms, forcing victims away at gunpoint.
“The assistant head teacher was trying to escape through the window, but he was shot dead. The principal and five teachers were kidnapped. They also took several pupils,” another resident disclosed.
Fear and confusion gripped the communities as families desperately searched for missing children and loved ones.
According to sources, the attackers used the principal’s vehicle to transport some of the abducted victims out of the area before the vehicle developed a fault while attempting to navigate difficult terrain.
“The schools are very close to each other, so the attack affected both at the same time. They used the principal’s car to move some of the abducted victims, but when the vehicle could not continue, they abandoned it and set it ablaze,” a resident explained.
The burning vehicle further heightened tension, forcing more residents to flee over fears of another attack.
The traditional ruler of the area, the Eleshi Ele of Esiele, Oba Tajudeen Abioye, confirmed that the terrorists arrived on eight motorcycles carrying two armed men each.
He said the attack began while community leaders were holding a town hall meeting.
“We were having a town hall meeting when we suddenly heard gunshots. People started running in all directions. Later, we discovered they had attacked the schools, killed a teacher and abducted pupils and the principal,” the monarch said.
Oba Abioye lamented that even kindergarten pupils were not spared by the attackers.
“They did not spare anyone. They abducted pupils from both primary and secondary schools, including very small children. We cannot even confirm the number yet,” he added.
The monarch also blamed the scale of the attack on the absence of a nearby police station, revealing that security operatives arrived nearly two hours after the gunmen had fled.
“The police station is far from our community. It took them about two hours before they arrived,” he said.
Following the attack, the terrorists reportedly escaped through nearby forest reserves around the Old Oyo National Park axis.
Security agencies, including the police and military, immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation in the forests.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Abimbola, was said to have led tactical teams to the affected communities shortly after the incident, while military personnel were deployed to comb the forests for the abductors.
As of Friday night, security operatives were still searching the area in a bid to rescue the victims.
Residents said the communities remained deserted, with many families fleeing their homes due to fears of another invasion.
Chairman of Oriire Local Government Area, Michael Olateju, confirmed that the attackers entered through the Yawota axis, describing the terrain as difficult and remote.
“They entered through Yawota. The area is far from the nearest police station. It is not easy to access quickly,” he said.
A former lawmaker representing Oriire Constituency, Bamigboye Abidoye, called for the establishment of a military post in the area, saying the attackers exploited the communities’ proximity to forest reserves.
“The bandits attacked the schools on motorcycles. They moved quickly between communities and abducted pupils and teachers. We need a military post around these areas,” he stated.
Reacting to the development, the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board described the incident as “a dark and painful moment” for the education sector.
The board subsequently ordered the temporary closure of schools in Oriire and neighbouring local government areas including Surulere, Oyo East and Olorunsogo as a precautionary measure.
Authorities said the closure would allow security agencies to stabilise the affected communities and prevent further attacks.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the killing of the assistant headmaster and the motorcyclist but stated that no pupil had been officially confirmed dead as of the time of filing this report.
Police authorities also confirmed that both pupils and school staff members were among those abducted by the terrorists.
No comments