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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

School abduction: Oyo imposes curfew on 10 LGs near national park

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Oyo State, Nigeria, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on 10 local government areas near the Old Oyo National Park.
  • The measure aims to curb insecurity and kidnapping, following the recent abduction of schoolchildren.
  • The curfew is in effect for 48 hours initially, with security agencies intensifying surveillance.

The Oyo State Government has implemented a dusk-to-dawn curfew across 10 local government areas bordering the Old Oyo National Park. This stringent measure is part of an intensified effort to combat rising insecurity, including kidnapping and other criminal activities plaguing the region.

The curfew will take effect from 4pm to 8am daily, beginning on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and will remain in force for an initial period of 48 hours.

— Oyo State GovernmentDetails on the timing and duration of the curfew.

The curfew, which began on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, restricts movement daily from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. The affected local government areas include Oriire, Orelope, Irepo, Saki West, Saki East, Atisbo, Itesiwaju, Iseyin, Olorunsogo, and Atiba. The government stated that this directive is crucial for ongoing operations aimed at flushing out criminal elements who allegedly use the forest reserves around the park as hideouts.

The government said the measure was part of ongoing operations to flush out criminal elements allegedly using forest reserves around the Old Oyo National Park as hideouts.

— Oyo State GovernmentReasoning behind the curfew implementation.

This decision follows the recent mass abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in the Oriire axis of the state. In May 2026, armed individuals raided schools, abducting dozens of pupils and teachers and killing at least one educator. Subsequent government confirmations revealed that the abducted victims were taken into the Old Oyo National Park corridor, a vast forest reserve spanning approximately 2,500 square kilometers.

Security agencies had been directed to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations within the affected areas during the curfew hours.

— Oyo State GovernmentInstructions given to security forces.

Security agencies have been directed to heighten surveillance and enforcement operations within the designated areas during the curfew hours. Authorities believe the kidnappers remain within the forest, prompting sustained military and police deployments. The government urged residents to comply with the curfew, emphasizing its necessity for restoring peace and ensuring the safety of lives and property.

The statement urged residents to comply fully with the directive, noting that the restriction was necessary to restore peace and ensure the safety of lives and property across the communities.

— Oyo State GovernmentCall for public cooperation and justification for the curfew.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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