Oyo School K!dnap: T£rrorists Demand to Speak with Governor Makinde

Oyo School Kidnap: Terrorists Demand to Speak with Governor Makinde

Suspected terrorists responsible for the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers from three towns in Oyo State have finally established communication with the state government.

The attack took place in Esinele, Yamota, and Alawusa towns within the Oriire Local Government Area.

Credible sources indicate that the kidnappers refused to negotiate directly with the families of the victims. Instead, they demanded to speak exclusively with Governor Seyi Makinde before releasing any information about their terms.

“They said they only want to talk to the governor and nobody else. That was the condition they gave for negotiation. So, nobody knows the details and what they are demanding,” a source revealed.

Another source noted that the opening of a communication channel brings a slight sense of hope for the rescue efforts.

“It is not that security agencies do not know what to do. But the risks are too high. The relief is that at least now, they are talking,” the source added.

 

The exact details of the negotiation remain a closely guarded secret to protect the hostages. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Abayomi Fagbenro, declined to give updates on the situation.

“I cannot give any information at the moment,” he stated in a brief message.

The victims have now spent eight painful days in captivity. The ongoing rainy season has intensified the fears of families and community leaders. The harsh weather makes survival in the thick forests incredibly difficult for the young captives, which include toddlers aged two and three.

“We are worried about their safety. We do not know how they are faring. Children of two years old are among the abductees,” a community leader lamented.

This brutal incident has forced primary and secondary schools in Ogbomoso and nearby communities to empty out.

Parents are terrified to send their children to classrooms, and many teachers are staying home out of fear.

 

The anxiety deepened after the tragic death of two educators. Joel Adesiyan, an assistant headmaster, was killed during the initial attack and was buried on Friday amid tears.

Another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was gruesomely beheaded by the terrorists in captivity. Oyedokun had served as a teacher for over twenty years. His family expressed profound grief over his death.

“He was a good man in our family and this is why his death is a big loss to us, an irreplaceable loss. His death is painful. We cannot even describe his death,” said Ebeni Adediran, the spokesperson for the family.

They revealed that he died without leaving a child behind despite being married for over ten years.

“The most painful part is that he did not leave any child behind. He had a wife but they did not have any child. They had been married for more than 10 years and despite all their efforts, no child came out of the marriage. And now the same man has died and there is no child to continue his lineage,” Adediran lamented.

His relatives also begged the public to stop sharing the disturbing video of his murder on social media because it only worsens their emotional trauma.

 

“We truly appreciate the love, concern and sympathy shown towards our family during this painful time. However, the continuous circulation of those videos and images is deeply traumatising for us as a family,” the family stated.

The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, acknowledged the tragic situation. However, he blamed bloggers for spreading misleading videos that escalate public panic.

“Bloggers are posting videos to aggravate the situation, even when the videos are false. So, that is the position of the government,” he explained.

He assured residents that the state government is taking all necessary steps to secure the safe return of the kidnapped victims.

“Yes, the state government is aware that such sad developments are taking place within the community where the incident occurred. However, most of the incidents can be attributed to fake news emanating from social media,” he concluded.