The Oyo State House of Assembly has firmly rejected calls for negotiations with the armed groups responsible for the abduction of teachers and students during a deadly raid in Oriire local government area, insisting that security operations must remain focused on securing the victims’ release and dismantling criminal networks.
The resolution was adopted during Wednesday’s plenary following a motion of urgent public importance moved by Johnson Ogundele, the lawmaker representing Oriire constituency, as the assembly resumed sittings after the Eid al-Adha recess.
The debate centred on the coordinated attack carried out on 15 May in the communities of Ahoro-Esiele, Oyo and Yawota, where armed men struck during school hours, killing a teacher, a student and a commercial motorcyclist before abducting dozens of pupils, students and teachers.
Presenting the motion, Ogundele warned that insecurity had become increasingly entrenched in parts of Oriire, citing a series of attacks dating back to the beginning of the year.
He recalled an earlier assault on a National Park Service facility in Oloka village in which five forest guards were killed, describing the pattern of violence as deeply alarming.
The lawmaker praised Governor Seyi Makinde for his response to the latest attack, including the deployment of security personnel, rescue operations and visits to affected communities.
He nevertheless urged the state government to strengthen support for security agencies and push for the establishment of a permanent military presence in vulnerable communities and forest corridors across the area.
The assembly also called for urgent security assessments of schools situated near forests and border settlements, directing the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board to undertake comprehensive audits.
Lawmakers further urged the government to accelerate the installation of solar-powered security lighting, perimeter fencing and CCTV systems in vulnerable schools, while developing a statewide Safe School Emergency Response Protocol for both public and private educational institutions.
In one of its strongest resolutions, the House expressly rejected suggestions that the state should negotiate with those responsible for the kidnappings.
The issue of wider security reform also dominated deliberations. Majority Leader Sanjo Adedoyin renewed calls for the establishment of state police, arguing that recent rescue operations had exposed the limitations of existing security structures.
According to him, conventional security agencies often struggled to navigate dense forest terrain and depended heavily on local vigilantes and operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network, known as Amotekun, to access remote areas.
“The security realities confronting states today have further justified the need for state police,” he said, urging the federal government to remove obstacles delaying its creation.
Several lawmakers echoed concerns about the growing insecurity.
Olubisi Oluranti commended the efforts of the state government and security agencies but argued that more personnel should be deployed to vulnerable communities to prevent future attacks.
Gbenga Oyekola attributed part of the challenge to inadequate management of the vast forest reserves spanning Oyo and neighbouring states. He expressed concern over reports of mining activity in some forested areas, including alleged helicopter movements, while residents remained exposed to security threats.
Babajide Gabriel called for broader reforms of Nigeria’s security architecture, recalling previous complaints by Makinde about the constitutional limitations facing governors who are designated chief security officers of their states but lack direct operational control over security agencies.
He urged the governor to recruit more personnel into the Amotekun Corps and criticised attempts to politicise the security crisis.
“Insecurity has become a national challenge that requires collective action rather than partisan point-scoring,” he argued.
Dawood Olalere warned that kidnapping was no longer confined to remote forests, pointing to the reported abduction of the sister of former power minister Adebayo Adelabu and her two sons in Ibadan earlier on Wednesday as evidence that criminal gangs were increasingly targeting urban and semi-urban communities.
He called for better equipment and weaponry for Amotekun operatives, arguing that security personnel armed with locally manufactured weapons were at a disadvantage against heavily armed criminal groups.
The House subsequently adopted a series of resolutions, including a call on the federal government and the Ministry of Defence to establish a permanent military base in Oriire local government area.
Lawmakers also urged the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support and relief materials for affected families, while encouraging traditional rulers, community leaders and local authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing efforts.
In addition, the assembly directed its Committee on Security and Strategy to conduct an oversight visit to Oriire to assess the situation on the ground and recommend further legislative interventions.
Closing the debate, Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin rejected any suggestion of negotiating with kidnappers, warning that such a move would legitimise criminality and encourage further attacks.
While acknowledging the anguish of families whose relatives remain in captivity, he argued that negotiations would send the wrong message and potentially strengthen the operations of armed groups.
Ogundoyin said the state’s response should remain focused on intelligence gathering, sustained security operations and coordinated rescue efforts aimed at ensuring the safe return of all those abducted.
He reaffirmed the assembly’s commitment to supporting measures designed to improve security across Oyo State and prevent future attacks on schools and communities.
