How Oyo kidnap victims were moved to forest – Senator

The senator representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Abdulfatai Buhari, has revealed that the kidnappers who abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State tied as many as eight children together on a motorcycle while conveying them into the forest.

Mr Buhari, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the abductors, armed with machine guns, escorted the children and teachers deep into the forest while recording videos of the operation.

The senator disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the National Assembly on Wednesday, recounting details of the abduction.

“When they were taking the children away, six, seven or eight children, they would tie them back to each other. One person would be in front of the Okada, another one would be at the back of the Okada with a machine gun. You can see that terrifying situation. And they were videoing themselves and releasing it,” he said.

Forty-nine people, comprising school children, teachers and a toddler, were abducted from their school, the Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, the Community Grammar School, and the L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esinele. The two communities are in the Oyo North Senatorial District.

Armed men abducted the victims on 15 May and have remained in captivity since then.

One of the victims, Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher, was beheaded by the kidnappers, while the children and other hostages are said to be facing harsh conditions in captivity.

The incident has generated nationwide concern, prompting the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to commence an indefinite strike on 1 June to press for the immediate rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers.

In response, President Bola Tinubu approved the deployment of 1,000 forest guards to support ongoing security operations aimed at securing the release of the victims and strengthening surveillance across vulnerable forest corridors.

Mr Buhari said security agencies have identified the general area where the kidnappers are hiding, with police and military helicopters conducting surveillance operations over the forest.

“So it’s quite unfortunate. It was terrifying, and since then, the police and army surveillance helicopters have been patrolling the area. Despite this, there are certain things I would say. But they’ve narrowed the place they are,” he added.

The senator noted that while some people have suggested the use of incapacitating substances to neutralise the kidnappers, such an approach could endanger the lives of the children being held captive.

“The issue now is that some people are saying they should put a powder. Probably the powder will make them sleep. Two years, three years, four years, children who are there, if they put that powder and they sniff it, they may not wake up again. So what are you rescuing? All that these people want is their kids back or their husbands back.

“If they use sleeping powder, some of the two-year-old kids, they may not be able to wake up again. So, what will you tell the mother? You rescued 75-year-old guy or 65-year-old guy and you are telling me that my own son is gone. So, that’s the reason why they have to be tactical. We have to be thoughtful,” he said.

He, however, expressed confidence in the efforts of the security agencies, saying they are doing everything possible to secure the safe release of the victims.

Mr Buhari said the abduction of pupils in the Esiele community differs significantly from the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in Borno State and the more recent school kidnappings in Niger State.

“When we saw that woman, no matter who you are, the moment the woman was crying, the way she was behaving, you would come to tears. The situation in Esiele is different. It’s even different from the Chibok girls. Imagine somebody doing his own morning job, carrying somebody from Yawota. It’s a five-minute drive with an Okada N50, and they thought he was chasing them and was shot on the head,” he said.