Gunmen on motorcycles attacked two schools in Oyo State's Oriire Local Government Area in the early hours of Friday. The assailants struck Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, and Community Grammar School and L.A Primary School in Esiele, abducting pupils, students and staff. Among those taken was the Vice Principal, Mrs. Alamu Folawe. The police confirmed she was abducted and her Toyota Corolla seized by the attackers. The vehicle was later set on fire along a road leading to a forest.
No pupil or student was confirmed killed during the attacks, according to Ayanlade Olayinka, spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command. However, two people died. Mr. Adesiyan, the Assistant Headmaster at one of the schools, was shot dead. Also killed was an okada rider who resisted attempts by the gunmen to take his motorcycle. The attacks occurred simultaneously at both school locations.
Following the incident, Oyo State Commissioner of Police CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga visited the scene with other service commanders for an on-the-spot assessment. He has directed a comprehensive manhunt for the perpetrators. Police have deployed operational assets, tactical teams and intelligence units to the affected communities. The aim is to prevent further breakdown of law and order, ensure public safety, rescue the abducted and apprehend the attackers.
Olayinka said investigations are ongoing and urged the public to remain calm and provide credible information to aid the manhunt. Police operatives have been assigned to intensify rescue operations. The Command stressed that intensive operations are underway across the affected areas.
The Vice Principal was taken along with her car, which the attackers later burned, suggesting the abduction was targeted beyond random violence. Her colleagues and students now face uncertainty while the police manhunt unfolds. If the Vice Principal's position made her a target, it raises questions about whether specific threats preceded the attack. The killing of the Assistant Headmaster and the okada rider shows the violence extended beyond the abduction plan.
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