President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed sympathy with the families of teachers and pupils abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing the incident as painful and assuring that efforts are underway to secure their safe release.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, the President said no child should be taken from the safety of a classroom, adding that no parent should be forced to endure such emotional trauma.
Tinubu said the Federal Government was intensifying rescue operations and had directed the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced capabilities to support ongoing efforts to rescue the abducted victims.
He also announced the approval for the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in collaboration with the Oyo State Government, following a high-level federal delegation visit to the affected communities of Esiele and Yawota. He further noted that a request for the establishment of a military base in the area was receiving urgent attention.
The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, from schools in Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota in Oriire Local Government Area, an incident that has sparked widespread concern and led to an indefinite strike by public school teachers in Oyo State under the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
