Parents of pupils kidnapped from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have expressed deep fears about returning their children to the classrooms, saying the traumatic experience of spending 56 days in captivity has left families unwilling to take further risks despite the successful rescue of the victims.
The pupils were among 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers, including a school principal, kidnapped when heavily armed terrorists attacked three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota communities on May 15, 2026. Two teachers were killed during the incident, while the survivors were taken into forests around the Old Oyo National Park before security forces rescued them on July 10 after an intensive multi-agency operation.
Speaking after the victims regained their freedom, some parents said although they remain grateful to God, the Federal Government and security agencies for the rescue, the emotional scars left by the ordeal have made an immediate return to school difficult.
One parent said the fear among families remains overwhelming, stressing that parents must first be convinced the schools are secure before allowing their children to resume classes. Another relative, Basirat Adigun, noted that no parent wants to expose a child to another similar experience, insisting that visible and effective security measures must be put in place around the affected schools and communities.
