The Oyo State House of Assembly on Wednesday rejected calls for the state government to negotiate with bandits who abducted teachers and students during a coordinated attack on Ahoro-Esiele in Oriire Local Government Area on Friday, May 15, 2026.
Instead, lawmakers urged intensified security operations to secure the safe release of all victims and restore calm to affected communities.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Johnson Ogundele, the lawmaker representing Oriire State Constituency, shortly after the House reconvened from the Eid-el-Kabir recess.
Ogundele drew attention to worsening insecurity in Oriire LGA, recalling the May 15 attack on Ahoro-Esiele, Oyo and Yawota communities, where armed assailants invaded during school hours, killing a teacher, a student and a commercial motorcyclist, while abducting dozens of pupils, students and teachers.
He said the area had experienced repeated attacks since January, including an assault on a National Park Service office at Oloka village, where five forest guards were killed.
Ogundele called on Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently deploy security personnel to the affected areas, intensify rescue operations, and personally visit the communities. He also urged the establishment of a permanent military base around vulnerable communities and forest corridors.
Lawmakers further called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board to conduct immediate security audits of schools located near forests and border settlements.
They also urged the government to install solar-powered lighting, perimeter fencing and CCTV systems in vulnerable schools, and to develop a comprehensive Safe School Emergency Response Protocol for both public and private institutions.
The Assembly categorically rejected any proposal for negotiations with the abductors, warning that such action could embolden criminal groups and worsen insecurity.
Seconding the motion, Majority Leader Sanjo Adedoyin (Ogbomoso South) renewed calls for the creation of state police, urging the Federal Government to remove legal and constitutional obstacles delaying its establishment.
He said recent rescue operations had exposed the limitations of conventional security agencies in forest terrains, noting that they often rely on the Amotekun Corps and local vigilantes for support.
Other lawmakers also contributed to the debate.
Gbenga Oyekola (Atiba) attributed part of the insecurity challenge to weak management of federal forest reserves, expressing concern over reported illegal activities and inadequate security presence in vast forest areas.
Babajide Gabriel (Ibadan North II) called for broader reforms of Nigeria’s security architecture, arguing that governors lacked adequate control over security agencies despite being constitutionally designated chief security officers of their states.
He also advocated increased recruitment into the Amotekun Corps and warned against politicising insecurity.
Dawood Olalere (Ibadan North-West) noted that kidnapping had expanded beyond forest areas into urban and semi-urban communities, citing recent high-profile abductions as evidence of the growing threat.
He called for better equipment and improved weaponry for local security outfits, arguing that current resources were insufficient to confront heavily armed criminal groups.
The House subsequently adopted several resolutions, including a call on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Defence and relevant agencies, to establish a permanent military base in Oriire LGA.
Lawmakers also urged the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support and relief materials to affected families, while calling on traditional rulers, community leaders and local governments to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing.
The Assembly directed its Committee on Security and Strategy to conduct an oversight visit to Oriire LGA to assess the situation and recommend urgent legislative interventions.
In his remarks, Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin firmly dismissed calls for negotiation with the abductors, warning that such a move could embolden criminal elements and encourage further attacks.
While acknowledging the pain of affected families, he urged continued support for security agencies and ongoing rescue efforts.
Ogundoyin reiterated that the Assembly remained committed to strengthening security across the state and preventing further attacks on schools and communities.
