Families in anguish as Oyo students spend month in captivity

In the Yawota community of Nigeria’s Oyo State, families are living in anguish as they await news of their abducted children. Sisters Deborah Oyedele and Abosede Ojedele, whose sons were among the kidnapped, find solace in each other while grappling with the uncertainty. Their children, along with 43 others, ranging from two to 16 years old, and school staff, were seized by armed men from two schools on May 15, near the Old Oyo National Park.

This mass abduction has sent shockwaves through southwestern Nigeria, a region historically perceived as secure amidst the country's broader security challenges. The incident quickly escalated into a major issue, triggering widespread protests and a statewide teachers' strike. Prominent figures, including Afrobeats stars Tiwa Savage and Davido, have publicly condemned the kidnappings, with Davido wearing a jacket bearing the abductees' names at an international event.

Witnesses described the attackers arriving on motorcycles and wearing military fatigues. The Nigerian army has pointed to the jihadist group Boko Haram as being responsible for the abductions. For parents like Ojedele, the situation is devastating, with her young daughter Hannah repeatedly asking for her brothers and cousin, unable to comprehend their absence. The community leaders and parents have been actively engaging with authorities, including a recent meeting with a visiting police official.

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Hannah has been asking for her brothers and cousin. She does not understand why she has not been seeing them.

While kidnappings for ransom are a persistent problem in Nigeria's northern regions, such large-scale abductions are uncommon in the southern Oyo State. The attacks have brought unwanted attention to the towns of Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele. The fear is palpable, with Ojedele expressing a sentiment shared by many: "There will be no more schooling for them here." The incident has also brought personal tragedy, as one of the abducted teachers, Mary Akanbi, had recently relocated to Yawota for a teaching job, only to be taken along with her two-year-old toddler.

The remote nature of the Old Oyo forest reserve, which spans Oyo and Kwara states, has historically been exploited by jihadist groups since Boko Haram's insurgency began in 2009. The lack of security presence in Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota prior to the attacks made them vulnerable. In response to the incident, a military detachment has now been stationed in one of the affected areas.

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There will be no more schooling for them here. No parent would willingly send a child to a school where bandits have kidnapped students.