By Olawale Lamina
The Oyo State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, turned down calls for the state government to enter into negotiations with the bandits who kidnapped teachers and students in a coordinated attack that took place at Ahoro-Esiele in Oriire Local Government Area of the state on Friday, May 15, 2026.
Rather, the assembly demanded increased rescue operations to secure the release of victims.
The resolution taken was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker representing Oriire State Constituency, Johnson Ogundele, during plenary, shortly after the House resumed from the Sallah recess.
The motion focused on the spike in insecurity in parts of the Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
Presenting the motion, Ogundele referenced the May 15 attack on Ahoro-Esienle, Oyo and Yawota communities, where bandits invaded during school hours, killing a teacher, a student and an okada rider, while abducting dozens of students, pupils and teachers.
He expressed concern over the recurring attacks in the area, noting that community had gone through repeated bandit activities since January, including the attack on the National Park Service office at Oloka village, where five forest guards were killed.
He seized the occasion to appeal to Governor Seyi Makinde for swift response, deployment of security operatives, rescue efforts and personal visit to the affected communities. He added that the state governor should extend necessary support to the security agencies , noting that there is the need to establish a permanent military base in the state forest corridors and vulnerable points.
Similarly, the Oyo State Assembly also called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board to immediately conduct security audits of schools located near forests and border settlements across the state.
The state Assembly said, “The Assembly also urges 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.
“The Assembly equally rejected suggestions and calls that the State Government should negotiate with the bandits who abducted teachers and students during the coordinated attack at the community in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, on Friday, May 15, 2026.”
The Majority Leader, Sanjo Adedoyin (Ogbomoso South), who seconded the motion restated calls for the establishment of state police towards boosting security among the sub regional governments.
Adedoyin said 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 state Western Nigeria Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, to penetrate difficult terrains.
He stressed that the security realities confronting states in the country further justified the need for state police and urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the initiative.
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 LGA. They equally called on the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support and relief materials to affected families.
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