News
Reps Demand Swift Rescue of Abducted Oyo Pupils, Renew Push for State Police
By Gloria Ikibah
The House of Representatives has intensified calls for urgent action to rescue schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, while pressing for sweeping security reforms, including the establishment of state police and a dedicated protection framework for schools across the country.
Thus resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, who drew the attention of lawmakers to the deteriorating security situation in Ogbomoso and Orire communities and the abduction of more than 30 pupils and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and L.A. Primary School on May 16, 2025.
Alao-Akala also mourned the death of mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, who was reportedly killed while being held captive. He described the incident as a tragic reminder of the growing threat posed by kidnappers and armed criminal groups.
Presenting the motion, the lawmaker said residents of the affected communities had been living in fear as attacks linked to criminal elements operating around the Old Oyo National Park continued to escalate.
While acknowledging steps already taken by security agencies and the Federal Government, including the approval of 1,000 forest guards for the area, he argued that stronger and more sustainable interventions were needed to restore safety and prevent future attacks.
According to him, the vast forests surrounding the national park have increasingly become hideouts for criminal gangs and key transit routes for kidnappers and bandits moving across state boundaries.
Following deliberations, the House called for the immediate rescue of all remaining abductees and urged the Federal Government to establish a permanent military forward operating base in Orire Local Government Area. Lawmakers also endorsed a decentralised security structure incorporating state police, local government policing units, decentralised courts and integrated intelligence networks.
Contributing to the debate, Bamidele Salam commended Alao-Akala for bringing the issue before the House and expressed concern over the increasing frequency of school abductions nationwide.
He recalled that mass school kidnappings gained national attention during the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping and warned that educational institutions were once again becoming vulnerable targets for criminal groups.
Salam emphasised that education remains one of the most effective pathways out of poverty and social deprivation, making attacks on schools particularly damaging to national development.
“The children of the poor attend our public schools, and we cannot afford to ignore the dangers they face,” he said.
The lawmaker urged the Federal Government to establish a specialised security architecture dedicated to safeguarding schools across the country. He noted that previous school protection initiatives had been weakened by inadequate funding and poor implementation.
He further argued that if government could provide security for thousands of public office holders, it should be able to guarantee the safety of schoolchildren and teachers.
Salam also called for support and reassurance for affected families while security agencies intensify efforts to secure the release of those still being held captive.
Also speaking, Benedict Etanabene described Nigeria’s security challenges as deeply troubling, saying many citizens now live under constant fear.
He maintained that the time had come for the country to move beyond debate and embrace state policing as a practical response to rising insecurity.
“We cannot keep procrastinating and believing the situation will improve on its own,” he said.
Etanabene argued that state governors will be better positioned to deploy local intelligence, technology and community-based resources to tackle security threats within their jurisdictions. He also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to support reforms that would give states greater responsibility in maintaining security.
The lawmaker cautioned against turning insecurity into a partisan issue, warning that political divisions could weaken collective efforts to combat criminality. He also expressed sympathy for families whose loved ones remain in captivity, noting the emotional anguish endured by parents unable to secure the freedom of their children.
The House unanimously adopted the motion and referred it to the Committees on Defence, Interior, Police Affairs and National Security for further legislative action and oversight.
The committees were directed to monitor implementation of the resolutions and report back to the House within 30 days.
In a solemn conclusion to the debate, lawmakers observed a minute’s silence in honour of Michael Oyedokun, other victims of kidnapping and banditry across the country, and security personnel who lost their lives while serving the nation.
By Prosper Olayiwola
A House of Assembly Candidate for Ikole Constituency 1 on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Kayode Arewa Sanni, has called on his constituents, party members and supporters to unite ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Arewa Sanni made the call in Ikole-Ekiti while addressing party faithful and supporters at a stakeholders’ meeting convened to strengthen grassroots mobilisation in the constituency.
He said the 2027 elections present a defining moment for the people of Ikole Constituency 1 to chart a new course of inclusive representation, people-oriented legislation and accelerated development.
The candidate noted that disunity among party members and supporters remains the greatest obstacle to victory, stressing that only a united front can dislodge entrenched interests and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“I appeal to all our party leaders, members, supporters and well-wishers across Ikole Constituency 1 to put aside personal differences and work together as one family. Our strength lies in our unity,” he said.
Arewa Sanni said his candidacy was driven by a desire to give Ikole Constituency 1 a vibrant and responsive voice in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, with focus on youth empowerment, education, healthcare and rural infrastructure.
He assured constituents that if given the mandate, he would prioritise quality representation and ensure that government presence is felt in all communities within the constituency.
He also called on supporters of the ADC across Ekiti State to rally behind the party’s vision of good governance, transparency and accountability as preparations for the 2027 polls gather momentum.
The aspirant expressed confidence that with unity, commitment and collective effort, the ADC would emerge victorious in Ikole Constituency 1 and other constituencies across the state.
No fewer than six inmates have died within one week following a suspected cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Maximum Prison in Kano State.
Amnesty International raised the alarm in a post on its official Facebook page, calling on authorities to immediately declare an emergency at the correctional facility.
Amnesty said several other inmates were currently receiving treatment, warning that the death toll could be higher as the suspected disease continues to spread among prisoners.
It urged the authorities to immediately transfer critically ill inmates to hospitals for proper medical attention to prevent further deaths.
The organisation warned that failure to urgently intervene could amount to arbitrary deprivation of life, which it described as a serious human rights violation under international law.
Amnesty also expressed concern over the broader conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities, particularly the prolonged detention of inmates awaiting trial.
According to the organisation, detainees without financial means face greater difficulty having their rights protected, with some spending years in custody without being convicted of any crime.
It further said many inmates were being held in overcrowded and unhygienic cells without adequate food and healthcare.
Amnesty called for urgent reforms to improve conditions in Nigerian correctional facilities and ensure compliance with international best practices.
Popular media personality and self-acclaimed relationship expert, Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO, has reportedly lost her second son while remanded in custody.
The development was confirmed in an online appeal by Amira Agiye, head of the Isaamira Love Foundation, who spoke on Okoro’s behalf to request public financial assistance.
She said, “It is sad to announce to you all that Blessing CEO just lost her second son. My name is Amira Agiye.
“I’m here to appeal on behalf of Blessing CEO, who is currently in custody. I understand that people might have different opinions about her and the circumstances surrounding her case.
“And like every one of us, she deserves compassion and an opportunity for redemption.
She needs N20 million to meet the bail requirements. She also needs N36 million to pay the people she owes who brought the case against her.
“Please, Nigerians, let’s forgive her for the sake of that boy who is still in the mortuary. With Blessing’s full consent and authorisation, I’m appealing to all Nigerians to help donate so we can help her out of this situation.”
Also speaking in a voice conversation played by Amira, Blessing, CEO, said, “My second son, Bryan, was full of life. While in custody, I lost Bryan.
I pray this turns out positive so I can leave this place, pick up the pieces of my life and pay my respects to him.”
Recall that the self-acclaimed relationship expert was remanded in Kirikiri Prison over an N69.15 million property fraud trial.
She was granted N20 million bail in July 2026, with two sureties in like sum, and each surety was required to provide three years’ proof of deposits valued at N20 million.
Following her inability to meet the bail conditions, Blessing CEO, remains in prison facility two months after she was granted bail.
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