Oriire Abduction: Oyo Assembly Urges FG To Expedite Action On State Police, Commends Rescue Efforts
•By OYENIYI AWOJOODU
IBADAN — THE Oyo State House of Assembly on Wednesday called for intensified rescue operations to secure the release of victims abducted during the recent bandit attack on schools and communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
The House also rejects suggestions and calls that the state government should negotiate with terrorists.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker representing Oriire State Constituency, Hon. Johnson Ogundele, during plenary shortly after the House resumed from the Eid-el-Kabir (Salah) recess.
The motion, titled “Urgent Need for the Executive Arm of Government Through Its Security Architecture to Proactively Nip in the Bud the Spike and Recurring Bandit Attacks on Oriire Communities Since the Beginning of 2026 and to Intensify Rescue and Manhunt Operations to Secure the Release of the Abductees of the Recent Attack on Esinele, Oyo and Yawota Communities,” highlighted growing insecurity in parts of the local government.
Presenting the motion, Ogundele recounted the May 15 attack on Esinele, Oyo and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area, where armed bandits invaded schools during school hours, killing a teacher, a student and an okada rider, while abducting dozens of students, pupils and teachers.
The lawmaker expressed concern over the recurring attacks in the area, noting that Oriire had witnessed increasing bandit activities since January, including the attack on the National Park Service office at Oloka village where five forest guards were killed.
He commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his swift response, deployment of security operatives, rescue efforts and personal visit to the affected communities, while urging the state government to intensify support for security agencies and establish a permanent military base within and around vulnerable communities and forest corridors in the area.
The Assembly also called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to immediately conduct security audits of schools located near forests and border settlements across the state.
Lawmakers further urged the government to expedite the installation of solar-powered security lights, perimeter fencing and CCTV cameras in vulnerable schools and to develop a comprehensive Safe School Emergency Response Protocol for public and private schools across Oyo State.
Seconding the motion, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin (Ogbomoso South), renewed calls for the establishment of state police, urging the Federal Government to remove all obstacles delaying its creation.
According to him, the recent rescue operations exposed the challenges conventional security agencies face while navigating dense forests, forcing them to rely heavily on local vigilantes and operatives of the Oyo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, to penetrate difficult terrains.
He argued that the security realities confronting states have further justified the need for state police and urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the initiative.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Olubisi Oluranti (Ogbomoso North) commended the efforts of Governor Makinde and security agencies but stressed the need for increased deployment of personnel to vulnerable communities to prevent future attacks.
Hon. Gbenga Oyekola (Atiba) blamed part of the security challenge on poor management of the expansive forest reserve owned and maintained by the Federal Government.
He lamented that despite the vast forest stretching across several parts of Oyo State and neighbouring states, security presence within the reserve remained inadequate.
Oyekola further expressed concern that despite reports of mining activities in parts of the forest, including sightings of helicopters landing and departing from the area, adequate security measures had not been put in place to protect residents and legitimate operators.
Also speaking, Hon. Babajide Gabriel (Ibadan North II) called for far-reaching structural reforms of Nigeria’s security architecture.
He recalled Governor Makinde’s previous concerns about the limitations faced by governors who are constitutionally regarded as chief security officers of their states but lack direct control over security agencies.
Gabriel appealed to the governor to recruit more personnel into the Amotekun Corps to strengthen local security operations and condemned attempts by some individuals to politicise the insecurity situation for partisan gains.
He urged all stakeholders to approach the challenge collectively, stressing that insecurity had become a national concern requiring unified action.
Hon. Dawood Olalere (Ibadan North-West) observed that kidnapping had evolved beyond forest-based criminality and was increasingly affecting urban and semi-urban communities.
He cited the reported abduction of a sister and two sons of a former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, earlier on Wednesday as evidence of the widening threat posed by kidnappers.
Olalere called for better equipment and improved weaponry for Amotekun operatives, arguing that personnel armed with locally fabricated weapons could not effectively confront heavily armed criminal gangs operating in forests and remote locations.
The House subsequently adopted several resolutions, including a call on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Defence and relevant agencies, to establish a permanent military base in Oriire Local Government Area.
Lawmakers also urged the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA) to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support and relief materials to affected families, while calling on traditional rulers, community leaders and local government authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing initiatives.
The Assembly further directed its Committee on Security and Strategy to undertake an oversight visit to Oriire Local Government Area to assess the security situation, engage stakeholders and recommend urgent legislative interventions.
In his remarks, Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, firmly dismissed calls for the state government to negotiate with terrorists and kidnappers, warning that such a move could embolden criminal elements and encourage further attacks.
While acknowledging the frustration, anxiety and impatience of families whose loved ones remain in captivity, the Speaker urged residents to continue supporting security agencies and the state government in ongoing rescue efforts.
Ogundoyin maintained that negotiating with terrorists would send the wrong signal and potentially strengthen criminal networks, insisting that the focus should remain on sustained security operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated rescue missions aimed at securing the safe release of all victims.
He reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to supporting measures that would strengthen security across Oyo State and prevent a recurrence of attacks on schools and communities.