Exactly one month after dozens of school pupils and their teachers were abducted from Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, the grief of the victims’ families is getting severe despite repeated assurances from the president, governor and their emissaries of their safe return.

As the outrage, protests and campaign to #BringBackOurChildren wane, while the rest of the country moves on to the next abduction news, it is a dreary 30 days of unimaginable pain in the heart of the Oyo National Park forest, where the captives are believed to be held and exposed to the harsh inclement of the rainy season. For the parents, each passing day stretches an already unbearable agony.

What began on May 15 as another record in Nigeria’s grim abduction ledger has now become a slow-burning humanitarian crisis, one that has emptied classrooms, silenced villages, and left families suspended between hope and despair. In Oriire, life has not simply been disrupted; it has been fractured.

The communities where the attack occurred now wear a permanent mourning cloak. Residents describe an atmosphere eerily similar to the Biblical lament: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children…”

That sorrow is no longer symbolic but lived daily. Mothers reportedly break down at the slightest mention of the abducted pupils. Fathers struggle to mask fear that time may be running out. Some families have exhausted their savings moving between police stations, security offices, and community leaders in search of any fragment of information.

For many parents, the questions are the same every morning: Are they alive? Have they eaten? Are they sick? Will they return home at all?

In the farming settlements affected by the abduction, the sound of children’s laughter has been replaced by silence. School compounds that should be filled with learning now stand partially empty, while attendance continues to drop across the area. Fear has become the new school bell.

The emotional toll has been severe. Farmers now go to their fields hesitantly, while night movement across many communities has almost completely stopped.

What began in Oriire is now feeding wider anxiety across the Southwest. Reports from border communities in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo States indicate growing reluctance among parents to send children to school. In some areas, pupils attend classes under visible fear and tight supervision.

Some children interviewed in Ogijo, Ogun State, described going to school as an act of “caution and fear,” citing the general climate of insecurity in the region.

The killing of one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, while in captivity has further darkened the atmosphere in Oriire. For many families, his death shattered the fragile hope that the victims might return unharmed. It also intensified fears about the condition of those still being held in the forest.

Speaking with The Guardian, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, described the situation as deeply troubling, warning that Yorubaland, once regarded as one of the safest regions in Nigeria, is now increasingly exposed to banditry and kidnapping. He recalled earlier warnings issued after attacks in Kwara communities, insisting that the region failed to act decisively when early signs emerged.

Adams raised disturbing questions about the condition of the abducted children, particularly the female pupils, and called for urgent, coordinated intervention. He also stressed that security stakeholders in the Southwest possess the capacity to respond but require stronger political backing and coordination from governments at all levels.

Also expressing concern, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Jare Ajayi, described the situation as “painful and unacceptable,” lamenting that children have remained in captivity for over a month despite repeated warnings about insecurity in rural areas. He criticised what he described as slow responses from Southwest governors, warning that insecurity was advancing into new territories.

Ajayi also raised concerns about the movement of armed groups toward border communities, urging immediate and coordinated action to prevent further spread. He called for urgent steps to secure the release of the abducted pupils and strengthen community protection systems across the region.

DAWN Commission advocates caution, urgency

The Director-General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Seye Oyeleye, expressed concern over the fate of the abducted children, urging that any rescue strategy must prioritise their safety above all else. He said every effort should be made to ensure that none of the victims is harmed in the process of securing their release, noting that the humanitarian dimension of the crisis must remain central.

But a presidency source familiar with the situation yesterday disclosed that an end to the hostage is in the offing, as early as this week. According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss the matter, the authorities are engaging the terrorists in a non-kinetic approach for the safe rescue of the captives.

“The terrorists have been encircled, and they already know, but to forestall a forceful rescue operation, they have laid IEDs around their location in the dense forest while their active surveillance is ongoing via drones. Also, food and essential supplies are being dropped off to keep the victims alive and in good shape while negotiations continue before their eventual surrender. But one thing is sure, their demands for the release of high-profile terrorist leaders in exchange for the captives are off the table. Government is not bulging on that.”

Meanwhile, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, yesterday, appealed for deeper collaboration between the state government and the Nigeria Police Force in the ongoing efforts to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted from Yawota and Esiele in Oriire Local Government Area of the state. He appealed while receiving the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the South-West, Olatoye Fayoade, who paid a working visit to his office in Ibadan, the state capital.

Makinde, in his remarks, described the abduction as one of the most traumatic incidents to have confronted the state in recent times, noting that the government remained committed to working closely with federal security agencies until all the victims regained their freedom.

He said, “Today marks exactly one month since the children and their teachers were abducted. It has been a traumatic and depressing situation for us as a government and for the people of Oyo. We are here to continue to cooperate with the federal authorities, especially the Nigeria Police Force, to solve this problem.”

Makinde acknowledged the enormous security responsibilities confronting the police and other security agencies, stressing that limited resources and vast territories requiring surveillance posed significant operational challenges. He noted that the state’s expansive landmass presents unique security demands, adding that the state government appreciates the efforts of security personnel despite the difficulties they face.

The governor reiterated his administration’s determination to provide additional support where necessary. Makinde particularly commended the Inspector-General’s establishment of the Violent Crimes Unit, describing the initiative as one that had already begun yielding positive results in Oyo.

Earlier, DIG Fayoade assured the governor that the Nigeria Police Force remained fully committed to securing the release of the abducted pupils and teachers, stressing that no officer involved in the rescue efforts would relent until the victims were safely reunited with their families.

The DIG, who conveyed the Inspector-General’s goodwill message to the governor, expressed sympathy with the government and people of Oyo State over the incident and commended Makinde’s unwavering support for security agencies operating in the state.

He disclosed that the purpose of the visit was to evaluate security challenges, identify strategic concerns affecting policing operations and communicate such findings to the Inspector-General for necessary action.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have rescued Mrs Abubakar, wife of retired Maj.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, following a deadly encounter with armed bandits in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State. Popular security expert, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this in an exclusive report posted on his official X handle on Monday night.

He said the operation, conducted under Operation CLEAN SWEEP III, followed intelligence-led offensives launched in Matazu and adjoining communities after the abduction of the retired senior officer’s wife.

Quoting security sources, Makama said troops made contact with the bandits at Tunga village during a search-and-rescue operation, forcing the armed group to flee under heavy military pressure.

“The bandits shot her and fled when we made contact at Tunga village. We have rescued Mrs Abubakar. She is bleeding. We have given her first aid and are moving her for urgent medical attention,” a military source said.

However, in another development, the traditional ruler of Olayinka community in Ifelodun LGA, Kwara State, Oba Salman Olatunji Aweda, has died in captivity. His death was confirmed Monday in an emotional voice message by a community committee member involved in rescue efforts.

The announcement comes weeks after his abductors demanded N21 million, two brand-new motorcycles and a jerrycan of petrol for his release. In the audio obtained yesterday, the committee member told indigenes that efforts by family, clerics and stakeholders failed.

He confirmed earlier rumours about the monarch’s condition: “All the efforts that have been made by family members, residents, committees and Islamic clerics have now led to this moment. The will of God has happened.”

Despite his remains not being recovered, the committee announced Islamic funeral prayers for 8 a.m. at the Epe Muslim community in Lagos. “As required by Islamic rites, funeral rites can still be performed even when the deceased is not physically present,” he added.

The speaker urged both Muslims and Christians in Olayinka to “accept our fate” as a divine decree. Kwara State Government and the police have yet to issue an official statement as of press time. (The Guardian)

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