Gunmen Kidnap School Principal, Students in Brazen Oyo State Attack
A quiet morning turned to terror in southwestern Nigeria on Friday when armed men stormed a high school in Oyo State, abducting the principal and an unknown number of students in a shocking daylight raid.
The attack unfolded between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. at Community High School in Ahoro-Esinele, a rural settlement in Oriire Local Government Area. Witnesses described gunmen bursting into the school premises, seizing multiple students before fleeing with the school’s principal, Mrs. Rachael Alamu.
A teacher was reportedly shot during the chaos, though the extent of their injuries remains unclear. The assailants escaped through a nearby forest, using the principal’s vehicle to make their getaway, according to local sources.
Delayed Police Response Frustrates Residents
Community members expressed frustration over the slow arrival of security forces, blaming the remote location of Ahoro-Esinele, which lies far from the nearest police station.
Oyo State Police Command spokesperson CSP Olayinka Ayanlade confirmed the incident but said authorities were still working to determine the exact number of missing students. The Commissioner of Police has deployed a tactical team to the area to coordinate search and rescue operations.
Rising Security Concerns in Rural Nigeria
This latest abduction highlights Nigeria’s worsening kidnapping crisis, particularly in underserved rural regions where armed gangs operate with near impunity. Schools have increasingly become targets, raising fears of a resurgence in mass abductions reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping.
Parents and local leaders are demanding urgent government intervention to secure vulnerable communities. “Our children are not safe,” one resident told reporters. “We need more security presence before another tragedy strikes.”
Authorities have yet to identify the attackers or issue any ransom demands. Investigations are ongoing.
— Reported by Nexio News
