Oyo Lawmakers Reject Negotiations with Kidnappers, State Demands

The Oyo State House of Assembly on Wednesday rejected calls for the state government to negotiate with bandits who abducted teachers and students during a coordinated attack on Ahoro-Esiele in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026.

The Assembly called for intensified rescue operations to secure the release of victims abducted during the attack on communities in the area.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Johnson Ogundele, the lawmaker representing Oriire State Constituency, shortly after the House resumed from the Eid-el-Kabir recess.

Ogundele’s motion amplified growing insecurity in parts of Oriire, recalling the May 15 attack in Ahoro-Esienle, Oyo, and Yawota communities, where armed bandits invaded schools, killing a teacher, a student, and an okada rider, and abducting dozens of students and teachers.

He noted that Oriire had experienced escalating bandit activities since January, including an attack on the National Park Service office at Oloka village, which left five forest guards dead.

Ogundele commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his swift response, deployment of security operatives, and personal visits to affected communities.

He urged the state government to intensify support for security agencies and to establish permanent military bases near vulnerable communities and forest corridors.

The Assembly called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board to conduct immediate security audits of schools located near forests and border settlements across Oyo State.

It further urged the government to install solar-powered security lights, perimeter fencing, and CCTV cameras in vulnerable schools, and to develop a comprehensive Safe School Emergency Response Protocol for all schools in the state.

The Assembly firmly rejected suggestions that the government should negotiate with bandits responsible for the May 15 abductions.

Seconding the motion, Majority Leader Sanjo Adedoyin renewed calls for the establishment of state police and urged the Federal Government to remove obstacles delaying its creation.

Adedoyin relayed challenges faced by conventional security agencies during rescue operations in dense forests, noting their reliance on local vigilantes and the Amotekun Corps.

He argued that the security realities in Oyo justified the need for state police and called for expedited federal action on the initiative.

Other lawmakers, including Olubisi Oluranti, commended Governor Makinde and security agencies but stressed the need for increased deployment of personnel to vulnerable communities.

Gbenga Oyekola placed emphasis on the inadequate security management of expansive federal forest reserves, despite reported mining activities and helicopter operations in the areas.

Babajide Gabriel called for structural reforms of Nigeria’s security architecture and appealed for increased recruitment into the Amotekun Corps to strengthen local operations.

Dawood Olalere observed that kidnapping had spread beyond forest-based criminality to urban and semi-urban areas, referencing the abduction of a former minister’s sister and two nephews as evidence.

Olalere further urged better equipment and weaponry for Amotekun operatives, arguing that locally fabricated arms were insufficient against heavily armed criminal gangs.

The Assembly adopted several resolutions, including a call on the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base in Oriire.

Lawmakers also urged the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support, and relief materials to affected families, and encouraged traditional rulers and local authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing.

The Committee on Security and Strategy was directed to conduct an oversight visit to Oriire to assess security conditions, engage stakeholders, and recommend legislative interventions.

Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin dismissed calls for negotiating with terrorists, warning that it could embolden criminal elements and encourage further attacks.

He urged residents to continue supporting security agencies and the state government in ongoing rescue efforts, stressing that negotiations with terrorists would send the wrong signal and strengthen criminal networks.

Ogundoyin reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to measures directed at strengthening security in Oyo State and preventing further attacks on schools and communities.

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