45 Days Later: Anxiety deepens as Oyo schoolchildren remain in captivity
More than 40 days after gunmen stormed schools in Oriire local government area of Oyo state and abducted pupils, students and teachers, fear and frustration continue to spread across communities in Ogbomoso as families wait desperately for news of their loved ones.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15 when armed men attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and Community Grammar School/LA Primary School, Esiele, in Ogbomoso.
At the time, the Oyo state police command confirmed that the attackers invaded the schools, abducted an unspecified number of students and staff members, including Alamu Folawe, vice-principal of Community Grammar School.
An assistant headmaster identified simply as Adesiyan was killed during the attack, while a motorcycle rider was also reportedly shot dead after resisting attempts by the gunmen to seize his motorcycle.
Now, 45 days later, many of the abducted children and teachers are still believed to be in captivity, with residents accusing authorities of failing to secure their release quickly enough.
Demonstrations have since been held in Ogbomoso and Ibadan, with residents demanding urgent government action and the safe return of the victims.
The prolonged silence surrounding the abduction has heightened public anxiety, especially among parents and residents in affected communities.
The Oyo Global Forum (OGF), a network of professionals from the Oyo federal constituency, had earlier warned that the abduction reflected growing insecurity across the south-west.
In a statement issued after the attack, the group said community sources alleged that over 30 gunmen dressed in military uniforms carried out the operation before fleeing through forest corridors linked to Kwara and Niger states.
The group warned that criminal gangs were increasingly exploiting poorly governed forests stretching across multiple states.
Abimbola Ayodeji, commissioner of police in Oyo, also visited the area alongside other security commanders for an operational assessment. But despite those assurances, the continued captivity of the victims has intensified public anger and renewed concerns about the vulnerability of schools in rural communities.
As anxiety grows in Ogbomoso and other parts of Oyo state, several Nigerians have taken to X to express frustration over the continued captivity of the schoolchildren and teachers.
So the Government is still yet to rescue the children abducted in Ogbomoso.
— generalWong (@wong_general) June 28, 2026
So those kids and teachers for ogbomoso Naso them dun go and no nation wide outrage at the government omooooooooooo💔💔
— Murewa (@jiggy_daddY99) June 29, 2026
Patience Jonathan cried in national tv when children were taken from Buni Yadi.
— Adedayo Agarau (@adedayoagarau) June 12, 2026
Remi Tinubu went to distribute cars days after children were taken from Ogbomoso.
🚨🚨BREAKING:
— Omotayo Olokede (@Iamkolotayo) June 26, 2026
42 days since children were kidnapped in Ogbomoso, and families are still waiting for the government that promised to protect them.
How many more days before we stop calling this “unfortunate” and start demanding accountability?
A government that cannot protect… https://t.co/bsyNRHgLEB pic.twitter.com/ADvDEsCO4R
Have we moved on from the kidnapped children in Ogbomoso?
— 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐚 (@ThePChris) June 22, 2026
Residents say many parents have become too afraid to send their children back to school, while communities near forested areas now live under constant fear of another attack.
With each passing day, hope battles exhaustion as parents continue to wait for children who left for school nearly two months ago and never returned home.
