Oyo Abduction: ‘I’m the only one she has’, woman demands ward’s rescue

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Families of children abducted during a terrorist attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have continued to plead for government intervention, 14 days after the incident.

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One of the victims’ guardians, Aduke Balogun, made an emotional appeal during a condolence and solidarity visit by the Oriire Youth Council to affected communities in Esinele and Yawota.

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A video from the visit, shared on Facebook page Oriire ni tiwa, surfaced online on Friday, drawing widespread reactions.

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Balogun, a hired worker who said she has no relatives in the community, explained that she had moved to Yawota for work and was solely responsible for raising her ward, Kehinde Kaosarat.

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“I am the father of the child and the mother of the child. Her parents are not here. Me too, I have no one. I came here as a hired worker,” she said tearfully.

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Recounting the day of the attack, Balogun said residents initially mistook the attackers for security personnel.

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“In the morning, we bathed our children and they went to school. After 9am, we saw some people dressed like soldiers. We thought they were visitors,” she said.

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She said panic erupted moments later when gunshots rang out across the community.

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“Before we knew it, we started hearing gunshots. Everybody started running around. Nobody was around,” she added.

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Balogun said she briefly saw Kaosarat during the confusion before losing sight of her.

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Her plea to authorities was simple but urgent.

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“Please help me. We are visitors. We are begging the government. We know they are working, but they should help free our children,” she said.

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Another resident, Madam Agnes, also narrated how parents and residents fled into the bush as the attack unfolded.

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“Shortly after 9am, the children resumed school. The bandits who were dressed as soldiers passed and we thought they were visitors. Suddenly, we started hearing loud gunshots,” she said.

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“Nobody stayed. Everybody started running. Nobody stopped to wait for the children.”

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Agnes said the attackers had already killed a youth in Yawota before residents fled toward Esinele, unaware that danger had spread there as well.

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“Please, we are begging. They are small children,” she cried.

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The Elesinele of Esinele, Tajudeen Abioye, confirmed that several pupils, teachers and school officials were abducted during the attack.

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“What happened is that kidnappers entered this town on Friday. They abducted our children, teachers and the principal,” the monarch said.

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He appealed for both divine intervention and government action, saying, “God should please have mercy on us and should not let us be known for bad things.”

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The attack occurred on May 15 when armed men on motorcycles stormed Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School in Ahoro-Esinele and L.A. Primary School in Oriire LGA around 9:30am.

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Several pupils, students and staff members were abducted.

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Among the victims was mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun, who was later killed by the abductors. A video of the killing was subsequently circulated online. The vice principal, Mrs Alamu Folawe, was also taken away.

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The Defence Headquarters later identified the attackers as suspected JAS terrorists displaced from insurgent enclaves in the North-East.

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Authorities said the abductors had opened communication with the Oyo State government but refused to negotiate with families, insisting they would only speak with Governor Seyi Makinde.

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Governor Makinde’s Special Adviser on Security, Abayomi Fagbenro, has since dismissed social media reports claiming the victims had been rescued, describing the reports as false.

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