Buried Oyo teacher childless after 18-year marriage — Family

The family of Adegboye Adesiyan, the Oyo State school teacher shot dead during the penultimate Friday’s abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, has disclosed that he died without a child despite being married for 18 years.

The family’s spokesperson, Oyegun Sangotoye, disclosed this during an interview with The PUNCH shortly after the slain teacher was lowered into the grave at his private residence in Owolanke Community, Old Agric Farm Settlement, along the Ogbomoso/Ibadan Expressway in Ogo-Oluwa Local Government Area of the state at the weekend.

Sangotoye, who is the Vice-Principal of Community Grammar School, Olokoto in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, described Adesiyan’s death as pathetic and painful.

He further described the late teacher as a family breadwinner and pillar whose impact, while alive, would be greatly missed by the extended family.

The PUNCH reports that several teachers, alongside students, including pupils, were abducted during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, penultimate Friday, around 9:30 a.m.

A funeral service was held at Ayegun Baptist Church, Ogbomoso, where tears flowed uncontrollably.

Speaking with The PUNCH, Sangotoye said: “My name is Oyegun Sangotoye. I am a teacher at Community Grammar School, Olokoto in Oriire Local Government Area. I am the Vice Principal and an uncle to Joel Adegboye Adesiyan, who was killed by bandits on Friday, May 15, 2026.

“Joel is an heir; he is the firstborn among Baba and Mama’s children. Joel has been the pillar of both parents’ families. He was the pillar in the Kusi family, in the family house at Olode Mejipon in Orowomole, where his mother was born. He was the pillar. Without missing words, he was the glory of our family. So, the pillar of our family has broken.

“The victim was born on December 11, 1976, and married on April 18, 2008, at the age of 32. It is so painful that he did not have any children. Those children crying during the funeral service and interment were those he was taking care of.

“May God console us and not allow us to experience such again. His aged parents are currently living at Ahoro Oko in our family house at Ile Kusi, Aworo-Oko, popularly called Oko, in Oriire Local Government Area.”

He thanked the federal and state governments, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed Amotekun, local hunters, and other sister agencies for showing up when the incident happened. They quickly showed up, though it had already occurred. The culprits have not been apprehended, and I pray they will be apprehended soon.

Dignitaries who attended both the burial and interment described Adesiyan as a dedicated teacher committed to his students, while many expressed grief over his death.

Following the incident, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, visited the scene and deployed additional detectives from Force Headquarters in Abuja to collaborate with the joint security team in ongoing rescue operations.

The deployment, according to the police, was aimed at ensuring the safe rescue of the abducted teachers and students.

Governor Seyi Makinde had earlier confirmed that seven students were abducted from Community Secondary School, while 18 pupils and seven teachers were kidnapped from First Baptist Primary and Nursery School.

He also confirmed that one person was killed during the attack.

The incident triggered widespread panic in Ogbomoso and surrounding communities, with many parents rushing to schools to withdraw their children over fears of further attacks.

Some schools were also forced to shut down temporarily following rumours of bandits infiltrating the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, an allegation the institution’s management later dismissed as false.

The late Adesiyan was born on December 11, 1976, into the family of Mr and Mrs Daniel Comfort Adesiyan at Balogun Kusi’s Compound, Oko-Ile, Ogbomoso.

He was raised in a humble and disciplined Christian home where he was nurtured with godly values.

He began his education at L.A. Primary School, Oko-Ile, Ogbomoso, before proceeding to Ogbomoso Baptist High School for his secondary education.

In pursuit of academic excellence and a passion for teaching, he gained admission into Kwara State College of Education between 1998 and 2000. He later furthered his studies at Ado-Ekiti State University, where he obtained his degree.

He married his beloved wife, Mrs Victoria Adesiyan, on April 18, 2008.

He is survived by his wife, parents, brothers, sisters, and other relatives.

Amnesty International Nigeria has accused the Federal Government of failing to adequately respond to Nigeria’s worsening wave of abductions targeting school children, rural communities and internally displaced persons, saying at least 1,100 people were kidnapped between January and April 2026.

The organisation made the allegation in a statement shared on its official X handle on Sunday, amid renewed public concern over mass abductions in Oyo and Borno states last week, which left dozens of students, teachers and residents affected.

In the statement, Amnesty International said, “President Bola Tinubu and his government have failed to address the country’s shocking spate of abductions targeting school children, rural communities and internally displaced persons across the country.”

It added, “At least 1,100 people have been abducted – from January to April 2026,” describing the trend as a continuing failure of protection for vulnerable populations.

The group’s criticism comes days after gunmen abducted 39 students and seven teachers in an attack on schools in the Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, an incident that also left teacher Michael Oyedokun reportedly beheaded.

Amnesty also referenced another attack in Borno State, where 42 students and pupils were abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area during a Boko Haram assault.

Survivors of similar abductions, according to the rights group, have described being subjected to starvation and torture, including beatings, flogging and sexual violence, raising further concerns about the conditions victims face in captivity.

The organisation said the pattern of repeated school attacks shows a long-running crisis that authorities have yet to resolve, stressing that “over a decade is enough time for the Nigerian authorities to find a solution to this horrifying problem,” but insisting that “the reality shows the government has neither the will nor the commitment to end rampant abductions and attacks on children and their schools.”