There was panic in Oyo State on Friday following a coordinated attack on three schools in Orire Local Government Area, as armed terrorists killed an assistant headmaster, abducted many pupils and teachers, and threw entire communities into chaos.
The affected schools were Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and L.A. Primary School.
Residents described the attack as one of the most daring assaults on school communities in recent times, with gunmen reportedly operating in broad daylight and moving freely between locations without resistance.
The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Friday, left parents, teachers and residents in distress as security operatives launched a manhunt for the kidnappers.
Eyewitnesses said the hoodlums stormed the communities around 9am, shortly after pupils gathered for morning assembly and normal school activities resumed.
According to multiple residents, the assailants arrived on motorcycles and shot sporadically as they entered school premises and nearby areas.
The attackers were said to have operated in a coordinated manner, striking more than one school almost simultaneously.
A resident explained that the schools were raided in quick succession, which forced pupils and teachers to flee 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,” the source said.
Teacher, motorcyclist killed
The Assistant Headmaster of L.A. Primary School, Joel Adesiyan, was killed during the incident.
Witnesses said he was trying to escape through a window when he was shot dead.
His death has since sparked grief within the education community in the area, with colleagues describing him as dedicated and committed to his duties.
In a separate incident during the chaos, an okada rider who unknowingly rode into the scene of the attack was also killed after he was caught in the crossfire.
The attackers abducted the principal of Community Grammar School, Mrs Rachael Alamu, alongside five teachers and an unspecified number of pupils.
Sources within the community said the terrorists moved quickly between classrooms.
One resident said, “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.”
The exact number of abducted pupils remains unclear as of the time of filing this report.
However, residents fear the figure could be significant, especially from the secondary school.
Principal’s vehicle used, later burnt
It was gathered that the terrorists used the principal’s vehicle to transport some of the abducted victims out of the community.
The vehicle was said to have later developed a mechanical fault while the assailants attempted to escape through difficult terrain.
A resident said, “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.”
The burning of the vehicle further intensified panic, with residents fleeing their homes for fear of a second wave of attacks.
Traditional ruler describes chaos
The traditional ruler of the community, the Eleshi Ele of Esiele, Oba Tajudeen Abioye, confirmed that the terrorists arrived on eight motorcycles, each carrying two armed men.
He said the attack began while a town meeting was ongoing.
“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,” he said.
The monarch added that even kindergarten pupils were not spared in the attack.
“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 said.
Oba Adeoye confirmed the killing of the motorcyclist who unknowingly encountered the attackers.
According to him, the hoodlums seized the man’s motorcycle and used it during their operation.
Oba Abioye lamented that the absence of a nearby police station contributed to the scale of destruction.
He said it took security operatives nearly two hours to arrive after the attack had already been carried out.
“The police station is far from our community. It took them about two hours before they arrived,” he said.
His comments reflect growing concerns about security gaps in rural communities across Nigeria, where many settlements remain far from formal security presence.
Forest escape, military pursuit
Following the attack, the assailants reportedly fled into a nearby forest reserve bordering Oriire communities and Old Oyo National Park axis.
Security agencies, including the police and military, have since launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Ayodeji Abimbola, was said to have led a team of tactical officers to the area shortly after the incident.
Military personnel were also deployed to comb the forest in search of the abductors and rescue victims.
As of Friday night, security forces were still combing the forested areas believed to be the escape route of the attackers.
Community fears fresh attack
Residents described the aftermath as chaotic, with many families fleeing their homes.
Some members of the community claimed that the number of deployed security personnel in the area exceeded the population of remaining residents.
Despite this, fear persists, as many parents remain uncertain about the whereabouts of their children.
The Chairman of Oriire Local Government Area, Michael Olateju, said the terrorists entered through the Yawota axis.
He described the terrain as difficult and remote, which made rapid security response challenging.
“They entered through Yawota. The area is far from the nearest police station. It is not easy to access quickly,” Olateju said.
He also confirmed that the attackers were armed and operated in coordinated units.
A former lawmaker representing Oriire Constituency, Bamigboye Abidoye, said the attackers exploited the proximity of the communities to forest reserves.
He said, “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.”
Abidoye added that the attackers forced victims into vehicles and later abandoned and burnt them when movement became difficult.
The PUNCH