Nigerian Air Force sends reconnaissance planes to monitor kidnapping incident at Oyo school

The Nigerian Air Force has continued to provide aerial surveillance support in the ongoing efforts to rescue teachers and pupils abducted from Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, with the pupils and teachers of the Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School kidnapped on May 15 during a fatal attack by bandits, resulting in the death of one teacher in captivity.

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Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State disclosed this information during a courtesy visit by the representative of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, and the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Suleh, on June 5, 2026, as stated by the NAF's spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.

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Makinde revealed that the NAF promptly deployed an aerial surveillance platform immediately after the abduction was reported, providing critical intelligence to support search-and-rescue operations, with the governor assuring residents that all necessary resources are being deployed to ensure the successful resolution of the situation.

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The intelligence generated from the surveillance missions has continued to assist security agencies in tracking developments and coordinating efforts towards securing the safe release of the victims, according to Makinde, who commended the CAS and the NAF for their swift response and sustained support.

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Makinde also explained that the state acquired aerial assets following consultations with the NAF to ensure access to maintenance support, engineering expertise, and pilot training, expressing confidence that the assets would significantly enhance security operations across Oyo State and neighbouring states once fully operational.

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Air Vice Marshal Suleh conveyed the solidarity of the NAF with the government and people of Oyo State, reaffirming the Service's commitment to supporting ongoing efforts to secure the safe return of the abducted victims, while also commending the government for its continued support towards NAF projects and infrastructure development within the state.

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The NAF remains committed to working closely with other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to safeguard lives and property while supporting efforts to address security challenges across the country, as stated by the NAF.

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The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in the South-West, has urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on security, as a way of tackling kidnappings, banditry, and violent crimes nationwide, according to Chairman Bishop Barnabas Akin-Akinsanya.

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Akin-Akinsanya noted that abductions and attacks in Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, and Lagos now threaten national peace, economic development, and social stability, with kidnappings once seen as isolated having become a recurring challenge, fuelling fear among citizens.

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The CAN boss further urged the Federal Government to equip security agencies with modern surveillance equipment, drones, advanced communication gadgets, intelligence systems, and rapid-response capabilities, stating that the time has come for governments at all levels to move beyond rhetoric and adopt extraordinary measures to confront this national emergency.

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The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has tasked traditional rulers across Yorubaland to deploy ancestral traditional means to tackle the growing menace of bandits across the zone, while expressing concern over the spread of insecurity in the region.

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Oba Ogunwusi urged traditional rulers to collaborate with the government to restore peace and order in the region, stating that traditional institutions, religious leaders, community stakeholders, and citizens must work together in support of ongoing efforts to secure the country, as stated by his spokesperson, Moses Olafare.

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The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC-Africa, has accused the Federal Government of failing in its primary responsibility to protect citizens as kidnappings of schoolchildren, teachers, and workers continue to spread across the country, according to its General Secretary, Akhator Joel Odigie.

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ITUC-Africa warned that the growing wave of abductions poses a grave threat to education, economic productivity, and national development, commending the leadership of the NUT and the NLC for taking a principled stand in defence of teachers, students, and communities who continue to live and work under the threat of violence, kidnapping, and fear.

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The organisation stated that the repeated abduction of schoolchildren and teachers is more than a security challenge, it is a direct assault on the social contract between citizens and the state, with ITUC-Africa deeply concerned that mass abductions increasingly resemble a criminal industry.

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The Ogun State Police Command has dismissed as false and misleading a viral video circulating on social media, which allegedly depicts armed bandits operating within a forest in the state, with the Command stating that investigations have confirmed that the footage neither originated from Ogun State nor anywhere in Nigeria.

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The Command described the claims accompanying the video as a deliberate attempt to spread panic and misinformation, with preliminary findings and independent fact-checks revealing that the footage was recorded in Kenya during an operation involving cattle rustlers and was captured by a General Service Unit, drone, according to its Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi.

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Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Bode Ojajuni, condemned the circulation of unverified content capable of creating unnecessary fear among residents, stating that the video currently being circulated on social media is false, misleading, and has no connection whatsoever with Ogun State or any part of Nigeria.