​Tragedy in Oyo: Gunmen Storm Oriire Schools, Kill Educator and Abduct Principal and Pupils

​IBADAN — A wave of terror swept through the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday morning when heavily armed hoodlums launched coordinated, simultaneous raids on multiple schools. The violent assaults left two people dead—including an assistant headmaster—and resulted in the mass abduction of a school administrator, several pupils, and staff members.

​The attackers, who reportedly operated on motorcycles, stormed the shared premises of LA Primary School and Community Grammar School in the Ahoro-Esinele community, as well as the Baptist Nursery and Primary School in nearby Yawota, between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. 

​The gunmen opened fire indiscriminately upon entering the school grounds, killing an assistant headmaster identified by authorities as Mr. Adesiyan. A local commercial motorcyclist was also shot dead nearby after attempting to resist the hoodlums’ efforts to seize his vehicle.

​During the chaos, the assailants abducted Mrs. Alamu Folawe, the school administrator, alongside an unspecified number of pupils and students. The armed gang then stole Mrs. Alamu’s Toyota Corolla to cart away victims before driving into a nearby forest reserve bordering the community, where they set the vehicle ablaze and abandoned it.

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​Government Orders Immediate Closures across Four LGAs

​Reacting to the tragedy, the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (OYOSUBEB) issued an emergency directive ordering the immediate closure of all primary schools in neighboring high-risk corridors.

​Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, the Executive Chairman of OYOSUBEB, confirmed that the temporary shutdown affects schools in four local government areas: Oriire, Surulere, Oyo East, and Olorunsogo.

​”This temporary measure is to prevent any secondary incidents and to allow security agencies to thoroughly stabilise the area,” Dr. Adeniran stated. “This is a dark and painful moment for our education family in Oyo State, and our hearts are with the affected parents, teachers, and the entire community. We mourn with the families of the educator whose life was tragically cut short. His service, dedication, and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

​The board urged parents and community leaders to remain calm, promising that the state government would not abandon the victims and is utilizing all resources to ensure every child is safely returned.

​Police Launch High-Powered Manhunt and Forest Search

​The Oyo State Police Command has deployed a massive contingent of tactical teams, operational assets, and advanced intelligence platforms to comb the forest axis where the perpetrators fled.

​The state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, led a high-powered team of service commanders directly to the affected Oriire communities to conduct an on-the-spot assessment and personally coordinate the rescue operations.

​Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed that while law enforcement has established the identities of the deceased and some key abductees, the precise total number of missing children is still being verified as security forces continue their operations in the field.

​The command has appealed to members of the public to remain highly vigilant, avoid circulating unverified social media reports that could trigger widespread panic, and immediately feed credible information to law enforcement to aid the ongoing tracking effort.