Oyo Kidnapping: Eight Victims Discharged, Schools Closed

In Oyo State, eight victims, including schoolchildren and a teacher, were discharged from the hospital after being rescued from a kidnapping incident that occurred on May 15, 2026. The abduction involved 40 schoolchildren and a teacher, who were kidnapped on that date and later rescued unharmed on July 10, 2026, by a joint security agency comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the local vigilante group, Amotekun.

Despite the rescue, schools in the Oriire Local Government Area remain closed due to parental fears for their children's safety. Parents have vowed not to allow their children to return to school until the government enhances security measures.

Olatunji Disu, the Inspector General of Police, has been urged to upgrade existing police posts to a full-fledged police division in the area. Prof. Olawal Olakulehin, Chief Medical Director at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, confirmed the discharge of the victims, except for two children diagnosed with congenital heart disease who remain hospitalized.