Suspected terrorists who abducted schoolchildren and teachers from three schools in Esinele, Yamota and Alawusa towns in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have opened communication channels with the state government, according to a report by Saturday PUNCH.

Two highly credible sources told our correspondents that the hoodlums refused to speak directly with the families of the victims.

“They said they only want to talk to the governor and nobody else. That was the condition they gave for negotiation. So, nobody knows the details and what they are demanding,” a source said.

It cannot, however, be confirmed if the negotiation is being done by the governor himself or a representative of the state.

But a top source said the communication channel was a relief.

“It is not that security agencies don’t know what to do. But the risks are too high. The relief is that at least now, they are talking,” the source said.

It was gathered that the demands of the terrorists were being kept discreet in order not to jeopardise the lives of the victims.

The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security, Abayomi Fagbenro, declined to comment on the matter.

“I can’t give any information at the moment,” he said in a terse message to Saturday PUNCH.

Fear over fate of toddlers

Teachers and pupils, including toddlers aged two and three, were reportedly abducted in three schools last Friday.

The victims have now spent eight days in captivity.

Families and community leaders say their fears have increased as the rainy season sets in, which makes movement through forests and rough terrains increasingly difficult and dangerous for the captives.

Sources within affected communities said that the victims were being moved in thick forests and across states to evade security pressure.

They noted that survival for the children in such harsh conditions had become a major source of concern for parents already traumatised by the attack.

A community leader, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the press, said residents were in the dark about the whereabouts of the abductees.

“We are worried about their safety. We don’t know how they are faring. Children of two-year-old are among the abductees,” the source said.

Teachers, pupils abandon classrooms

It was learnt that pupils in public and private primary and secondary schools in Ogbomoso and neighbouring communities like Ikose, Ikoyi, Tewure and Dananu had abandoned classrooms following the incident.

Findings by our correspondents revealed that school attendance had also dropped drastically across communities as many parents had refused to send their children to school over security concerns.

Also, despite assurances from the Oyo State Government, teachers and education workers said fear remained widespread among pupils, parents and school personnel.

A teacher at Ikose Primary School, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that attendance had dropped drastically.

She said, “All the schools, both private and public, in Ogbomoso have been empty since Monday. Pupils stopped attending school after the Esinele attacks. The matter became worse on Tuesday when some students at Areago Grammar School saw some men in the bush around them hunting squirrels.

“The students, because of the Esinele incident, raised the alarm that there were terrorists on the school premises. That led to pandemonium, and everybody started running helter-skelter. One of the pupils was knocked down by a vehicle around the Owode area of Ogbomoso, and he died instantly. His mother also died from shock after hearing about the death of her son. Ogbomoso was turned upside down on Tuesday.”

She added, “On Wednesday, only private schools had a few pupils, far below normal attendance. But pupils in public schools did not go at all. All the teachers in my school and other areas in Ogbomoso, Esinele, Yamota, Ikose, Ikoyi, Tewure and others had to return home around 12pm.

“The situation became worse on Thursday; the number of teachers and pupils also dropped across the area. We didn’t see any students, while many teachers also did not show up. We left school before 11am.”

The source disclosed that all teachers agreed not to go to school on Friday in honour of a former Assistant Headmaster of L.A. Primary School, Joel Adesiyan, who was killed by the terrorists during the incident.

Adesiyan was buried on Friday.

Similarly, a teacher in Tewure told Saturday PUNCH that some parents informed her last Sunday that their children would not be attending school because of the Esinele attack.

“They called at different times on Sunday evening to say that their children would stay away from school for some time because they were scared to attend school following the abduction of their mates in Esinele and Yamota. I could even tell from our conversations that they were scared.

“Since Monday till now (Thursday), the number of pupils in my school has reduced. The pupils who attended school on Wednesday were fewer than 20,” she said.

Another teacher in one of the schools in Ogbomoso, who identified herself simply as Oyeyemi, said fear had gripped many parents and teachers following the abduction incident.

She noted that several pupils who managed to go to school during the week were withdrawn before closing time by their parents due to growing panic and rumours of possible terrorist attacks.

“Since the incident happened, things have not been the same again. Many classrooms are half empty because parents are scared of sending their children to school. Some parents have been calling to say they would rather keep their children at home until they are sure the situation is under control. You cannot blame them because everybody is afraid.

“Attendance has dropped seriously within just a few days. In some classes, more than half of the pupils were absent. If urgent security measures are not put in place, more parents will withdraw their children completely because nobody wants to lose a child. Parents said they are no longer comfortable allowing their children attend schools located in isolated communities.

“What we need now is visible security presence around schools and communities. Parents want reassurance that their children are safe. Teachers, too, want to feel protected while doing their jobs. People are living in fear at the moment,” she said.

Teachers traumatised

Aside from Adesiyan who was killed by the terrorists during the attack, another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in captivity.

Oyeyemi said the killing of the two teachers had worsened anxiety among education workers.

“To be honest, we are traumatised. Some teachers are already discussing whether to stop going to remote schools for now. When you hear that a fellow teacher was killed and another was beheaded, you will understand the level of panic. We are humans too. We have families waiting for us at home,” she lamented.

A secondary school teacher in Oriire LGA, who requested anonymity for security reasons, also said attendance had dropped sharply in the days following the attack as many parents chose to keep their children at home.

“Even among teachers, there is anxiety because nobody can confidently say such an incident will not happen again. We are trying to encourage the students, but the fear is still there,” the teacher said.

Another teacher at a public secondary school within the Ogbomoso axis, simply identified as Tayo, said rumours circulating on social media had compounded the situation.

He said, “Some of the videos being circulated may not be accurate, but parents are reacting based on what they see and hear. Once there is a kidnapping involving schoolchildren, every parent becomes afraid.

“Attendance has definitely reduced compared to what it was before the incident. We have students who have not returned since the news broke. Parents keep calling to ask whether the environment is safe.”

Tayo added that many schools located near isolated rural communities faced unique security challenges because of their proximity to forests and long distances between settlements.

“Some parents now escort their children to school and return to pick them immediately after closing hours because they are afraid.

“Teachers are equally concerned because we work in these communities every day. What happened has created psychological trauma not only for the victims and their families but also for other children who now fear they could be the next targets,” the head teacher said.

She called on security agencies to establish a stronger presence around vulnerable schools, especially those located close to forest corridors frequently exploited by criminal groups.

The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, in a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH, said the fears being expressed by teachers and parents were worsened by misinformation circulating on social media.

The commissioner accused some bloggers of circulating misleading videos capable of escalating fear among residents.

He said, “Bloggers are posting videos to aggravate the situation, even when the videos are false. So, that is the position of the government.

“Yes, the state government is aware that such sad developments are taking place within the community where the incident occurred. However, most of the incidents can be attributed to fake news emanating from social media.

“You will see recorded videos showing panic among students and, of course, this resonates with parents, who naturally would not want their wards and children to come into harm’s way.”

Oyelade added that the government had already issued official statements to calm the tension and reassure residents about security efforts in the state.

49-year-old teacher buried amid tears

There was an emotional outpouring on Friday as the remains of Adesiyan were laid to rest amid tears in Ogbomoso.

The 49-year-old was killed during the abduction of pupils and teachers penultimate Friday at about 9.30 am.

The funeral service, held at Ayegun Baptist Church, Ogbomoso, had in attendance the Permanent Secretary, Ogbomoso Zone I, Michael Ojelabi, who represented Governor Seyi Makinde; officials of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, relatives, friends, church members, and sympathisers, who all demanded justice for the deceased and the release of the abducted victims.

It was observed that as of 10am on Friday, mourners had already gathered at the church for the service, while emotional scenes played out as family members and colleagues paid their last respects.

In his tribute read by Ojelabi, Makinde expressed sadness over the incident and assured that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of those still in captivity.

He said, “The state government is sad about the incident, and the government is doing all within its capacity to ensure that those in captivity are returned unhurt.”

Also speaking, the state NUT Chairman, Fatai Hassan, described the late teacher as a dedicated, humble and peace-loving professional whose impact would be missed by colleagues and students.

He said, “Today, the classrooms you once taught in will miss your voice, the staff room will miss your presence, and the union will miss your courage. Your family will miss your love and care. Indeed, a great tree has fallen. As human beings, we may question this painful incident, but God knows all things.

“Even in our tears and confusion, we take solace in the fact that your life, though short, was meaningful and impactful. In the journey of teachers, you touched many lives and left behind family, friends and loved ones. We pray that God strengthens your wife and every member of your family during this difficult period.”

In his sermon, the Senior Pastor of Ayegun Baptist Church, Rev. Paul Olaleye, urged the relatives of the deceased to be comforted and leave everything in God’s hands.

He called on people to always prepare for death, saying it could come at any time.

Olaleye said, “Death will not tell anybody the day and time it will come, but we need to prepare ourselves because after death, we will know either we have eternal joy or eternal sorrow.

“We need to prepare. Life is unpredictable and fragile. A day is coming when we will stand before God and give account of what we came to do in life. We need to start behaving as if it is time for us to die.”

An uncle of the deceased, Oyegun Sangotoye, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH shortly after the internment at the deceased’s residence, described him as a pillar of support for the family, lamenting that his death had robbed the family of its strength.

Sangotoye, a teacher at Community High School, Onikoko, Oriire LGA, said the deceased’s absence would be deeply felt by the entire family.

He, therefore, demanded justice, calling on government and security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of the attack and bring them to justice.

Beheaded teacher childless despite 10 years’ marriage – Family

The family of Michael Oyedokun, the Oyo State schoolteacher abducted and later beheaded by terrorists, has said he died without a child despite being married for over 10 years, describing his death as a devastating and irreplaceable loss.

The spokesperson for the family, Ebeni Adediran, said the late teacher was a humble and peace-loving man who dedicated over two decades of his life to educating young Nigerians before his tragic killing.

“He was a good man in our family and this is why his death is a big loss to us, an irreplaceable loss. His death is painful. We can’t even describe his death,” Adediran said in a report by Sahara Reporters.

He explained that Oyedokun attended primary school in his community, proceeded to Ogbomoso Baptist High School and later qualified as a teacher, serving for about 21 years in public schools.

According to him, the deceased had recently been transferred back to his hometown after years of service in Oke-Ogun and remained closely attached to his family, regularly visiting his parents every few weeks.

Adediran said one of the most painful aspects of the tragedy was that Oyedokun left no child behind.

“The most painful part is that he did not leave any child behind. He had a wife but they did not have any child.

“They had been married for more than 10 years and despite all their efforts, no child came out of the marriage. And now the same man has died and there is no child to continue his lineage,” he lamented.

The teacher’s killing sparked outrage after a disturbing video allegedly released by his abductors surfaced online, showing him bound and forced to speak before he was murdered.

His remains have since been buried in his hometown amid tears and grief from relatives, friends and community members.

Meanwhile, the family has appealed to Nigerians to stop circulating graphic videos and photographs of the slain teacher, warning that the continued sharing of such content is worsening their emotional trauma.

“We truly appreciate the love, concern and sympathy shown towards our family during this painful time.

“However, the continuous circulation of those videos and images is deeply traumatising for us as a family.

“His loved ones and all of us, his nieces, nephews, cousins and relatives, have been emotionally devastated, especially as these contents keep appearing on social media,” the family said in a statement.

Oyedokun’s killing comes amid renewed national debate on the safety of educators and rising insecurity affecting rural schooling in parts of Nigeria, where teachers and students face increasing kidnapping risks along isolated routes. (Saturday PUNCH)