The Senate has called for the immediate rescue of dozens of schoolchildren, teachers and others abducted by gunmen in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The resolution was passed on Wednesday during plenary, following a motion by Senator Buhari (APC, Oyo North), who condemned the attack and the killing of a teacher. The victims were taken during a raid on Ahoro-Esiele and neighbouring communities, an incident the Senate described as a direct threat to national stability. Senator Buhari emphasized that the abduction included a toddler and occurred in what should have been a secure learning environment. He described the killing of the teacher as evidence of the attackers' brutality and warned that ongoing insecurity could erode public trust in education.
The upper chamber urged the Federal Government to strengthen the Safe Schools Initiative through better surveillance, intelligence and security deployment around vulnerable schools. Lawmakers directed security agencies to deploy all necessary resources to secure the release of the captives and prevent further attacks. A minute's silence was observed for those killed in the incident, and the Senate extended sympathy to the affected families and the Oyo State government. Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) called for a comprehensive review of funds allocated to security agencies, stressing the need for accountability. Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) urged state governments to support security operations, citing ungoverned spaces as enablers of criminal activity.
The Senate acknowledged a recent visit to the affected area by a Federal Government delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President and other top security officials. Senator Buhari, speaking after plenary, appealed for the tragedy not to be politicised. He said security agencies were working to secure the safe return of the victims and cautioned against disclosing operational details, which could endanger rescue efforts. The focus, he said, must remain on ensuring the safe release of the abductees and restoring public confidence in school safety.
Senator Buhari condemned the brutality of the attackers while his Senate colleagues questioned the effectiveness of security spending, yet no inquiry was demanded into why the Safe Schools Initiative failed to prevent this attack. The abduction of a toddler and a teacher from a school in Oyo highlights the gap between policy promises and ground-level protection. If security funds are being misused or underdeployed, those in Oyo paying the price are the children now in captivity. The Senate's call for caution in public statements rings hollow when it has not required the same restraint from its own members during debate.
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