Bandits responsible for the abduction of pupils and teachers from three communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have reportedly initiated contact with the state government, with sources saying the group insists on negotiating only with Governor Seyi Makinde.
According to a report by PUNCH, findings revealed that the kidnappers, who attacked schools in Esinele, Yamota and Alawusa, declined to engage with families of the victims.
A source familiar with the development said, “They said they only want to talk to the governor and nobody else. That was the condition they gave for negotiation. So, nobody knows the details and what they are demanding.”
Although it remains unclear whether the governor is personally handling the discussions or acting through intermediaries, another senior source described the opening of communication as a positive sign.
“It is not that security agencies don’t know what to do. But the risks are too high. The relief is that at least now, they are talking,” the source said.
Sources disclosed that authorities were keeping details of the discussions secret to avoid endangering the lives of those still in captivity.
When contacted, the Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Security, Abayomi Fagbenro, declined to comment, saying only, “I can’t give any information at the moment.”
The abduction, which occurred last Friday, involved teachers and schoolchildren, including toddlers aged two and three. The victims have now spent more than a week in captivity.
Residents of the affected communities expressed growing concern over the safety of the abductees, especially with the onset of the rainy season, which has reportedly complicated movement through forest areas.
Community sources said the victims were being moved through dense forests and across state boundaries to evade security operatives.
A community leader, who requested anonymity, said, “We are worried about their safety. We don’t know how they are faring. Children of two-year-old are among the abductees.”
The incident has also triggered widespread fear across schools in Ogbomoso and neighbouring communities, with attendance in many public and private schools dropping sharply.
Several teachers told correspondents that parents had refused to allow their children return to school since the attacks.
A teacher at Ikose Primary School explained that panic intensified after students at Areago Grammar School reportedly mistook hunters in a nearby bush for terrorists.
She said, “All the schools, both private and public, in Ogbomoso have been empty since Monday. Pupils stopped attending school after the Esinele attacks.”
The teacher recounted that the resulting chaos led to a fatal accident involving a student, while the child’s mother later reportedly died from shock.
Another teacher from Tewure said many parents informed schools their children would remain at home due to fears arising from the kidnapping.
“They called at different times on Sunday evening to say that their children would stay away from school for some time because they were scared to attend school following the abduction of their mates in Esinele and Yamota,” she said.
Education workers also described mounting anxiety among teachers following the killing of two colleagues during the incident.
Aside from former Assistant Headmaster Joel Adesiyan, who was killed during the attack, another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded while in captivity.
Reacting to the killings, a teacher identified simply as Oyeyemi said, “To be honest, we are traumatised. Some teachers are already discussing whether to stop going to remote schools for now. When you hear that a fellow teacher was killed and another was beheaded, you will understand the level of panic. We are humans too. We have families waiting for us at home.”
Teachers and parents also blamed unverified reports and disturbing videos circulating online for worsening fear in the communities.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, accused bloggers of spreading misleading content capable of heightening panic.
He said, “Bloggers are posting videos to aggravate the situation, even when the videos are false. So, that is the position of the government.”
Meanwhile, emotions ran high on Friday during the burial of Adesiyan in Ogbomoso.
Governor Makinde, represented by Permanent Secretary Michael Ojelabi, assured residents that efforts were ongoing to rescue those still being held.
“The state government is sad about the incident, and the government is doing all within its capacity to ensure that those in captivity are returned unhurt,” he said