By George Omagbemi Sylvester
The Oyo State Judicial Panel of Inquiry has commenced fact-finding into the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area, calling on members of the public with relevant information to come forward.
The development follows the May 15, 2026 attack on schools in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota communities, during which 46 people—39 pupils and students and seven teachers—were initially reported abducted.
After 56 days in captivity, 44 surviving victims were rescued on July 10 in a coordinated security operation involving the military and other security agencies. The Nigerian Army said the operation followed more than a month of intelligence gathering and efforts to dismantle the kidnappers’ network and hideouts.
The abduction generated widespread concern because large-scale school kidnappings of this nature are relatively uncommon in South-West Nigeria. The incident also prompted calls for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack and the subsequent rescue operation.
The panel’s fact-finding process is therefore expected to help establish the circumstances surrounding the abduction, examine relevant evidence and hear information from individuals who may have useful knowledge of the incident.
Members of the public with credible information are encouraged to cooperate with the panel as it seeks to establish the facts surrounding the incident and provide a clearer account of what happened.
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