The Oyo State House of Assembly has rejected calls for the state government to negotiate with bandits responsible for the abduction of teachers and students during the coordinated attack on Ahoro-Esiele in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026.

Instead, lawmakers urged security agencies to strengthen ongoing rescue efforts and intensify operations aimed at securing the release of all victims still being held captive.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance presented by the member representing Oriire State Constituency, Johnson Ogundele, during plenary on Wednesday after the House resumed from the Eid-el-Kabir holiday.

The motion, titled “Urgent Need for the Executive Arm of Government Through Its Security Architecture to Proactively Nip in the Bud the Spike and Recurring Bandit Attacks on Oriire Communities Since the Beginning of 2026 and to Intensify Rescue and Manhunt Operations to Secure the Release of the Abductees of the Recent Attack on Esinele, Oyo and Yawota Communities,” focused on the worsening security situation across communities in the local government area.

While presenting the motion, Ogundele recalled the attack on Ahoro-Esienle, Oyo and Yawota communities, where armed bandits reportedly invaded schools during academic activities, killing a teacher, a student and a commercial motorcyclist, while abducting several pupils, students and teachers.

He noted that Oriire had experienced a series of security breaches since the beginning of the year, including an attack on the National Park Service office in Oloka village where five forest guards lost their lives.

“Let me use this period to commend Governor Seyi Makinde for his swift response, deployment of security operatives, rescue efforts and personal visit to the affected communities.

“I want to equally urge the state government to intensify support for security agencies and establish a permanent military base within and around vulnerable communities and forest corridors in the area,” he said.

The lawmakers also called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board to immediately carry out security assessments of schools located near forests and border communities.

According to the Assembly, “The Assembly also urges the government to expedite the installation of solar-powered security lights, perimeter fencing and CCTV cameras in vulnerable schools and to develop a comprehensive Safe School Emergency Response Protocol for public and private schools across Oyo.”

The House firmly rejected suggestions that government should negotiate with the kidnappers.

“The Assembly equally rejects suggestions and calls that the state government should negotiate with the bandits who abducted teachers and students during the coordinated attack in a community in Oriire Local Government Area of the state on Friday, May 15, 2026.”

Supporting the motion, Majority Leader Sanjo Adedoyin renewed calls for the establishment of state police, urging the Federal Government to remove obstacles hindering its creation.

Adedoyin argued that recent rescue operations highlighted the limitations faced by conventional security agencies in navigating dense forest areas, forcing them to depend heavily on local vigilantes and operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network, also known as Amotekun Corps.

Other lawmakers also weighed in on the debate. Olubisi Oluranti praised the efforts of Governor Makinde and security agencies but stressed the need for increased security deployment to vulnerable communities.

Gbenga Oyekola blamed part of the security challenge on the poor management of vast forest reserves under federal control, noting that many of the areas lacked adequate security presence despite reports of mining activities and helicopter movements.

Babajide Gabriel called for comprehensive reforms of Nigeria’s security system and appealed to the state government to recruit more personnel into the Amotekun Corps. He also criticised attempts to politicise the insecurity crisis.

Dawood Olalere warned that kidnapping was no longer limited to remote forest communities, citing the reported abduction of the sister and two sons of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in Ibadan as evidence that the threat was spreading to urban areas.

He called for better equipment and weapons for Amotekun operatives, arguing that locally made arms were insufficient against heavily armed criminal groups.

Following deliberations, the House adopted several resolutions, including a call on the Federal Government and relevant defence agencies to establish a permanent military base in Oriire Local Government Area.

Lawmakers also urged the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA) to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support and relief materials for affected families, while encouraging traditional rulers, community leaders and local government authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing efforts.

The Assembly further directed its Committee on Security and Strategy to visit Oriire Local Government Area to assess the situation, engage stakeholders and recommend urgent legislative measures.

Speaking after the debate, Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin reiterated the Assembly’s opposition to negotiating with kidnappers and terrorists, warning that such a move could encourage more attacks.

While acknowledging the pain and anxiety of families whose loved ones remain in captivity, he urged residents to continue supporting security agencies and government efforts aimed at securing the victims’ release.

Ogundoyin maintained that negotiating with criminals would send the wrong message and potentially strengthen their operations, insisting that the priority should remain sustained security actions, intelligence-driven operations and coordinated rescue missions.

He reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to supporting policies and initiatives that would improve security across Oyo State and prevent future attacks on schools and communities.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has demanded an independent and transparent investigation into the unauthorised disclosure of the voter registration details of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike.

The controversy began after Lere Olayinka, an aide to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, shared screenshots on X showing details of Ike’s voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja.

Olayinka published the information, which appeared to have been obtained from a restricted administrative portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, while questioning the actor’s qualification to contest for a House of Representatives seat in Abuja following his participation in recent primary elections.

The post sparked widespread criticism, with many Nigerians alleging that Olayinka may have gained access to a password-protected system intended solely for INEC officials.

Responding to the controversy on Tuesday, INEC denied reports of a major security breach or external hacking of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) database.

The commission explained that the unauthorised disclosure resulted from the misuse of legitimate internal credentials by personnel involved in the ongoing voter registration exercise.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said INEC’s admission that sensitive voter information was accessed and released without authorisation raises serious concerns that must be fully addressed.

According to him, the electoral body owes Nigerians clear answers on how confidential voter data ended up in the possession of political actors.

He also insisted that INEC must go beyond issuing public statements and make the findings of its investigation available to Nigerians in the interest of transparency and accountability.

“INEC’s statement has moved this issue beyond conjecture. The Commission has now confirmed that voter information was accessed through credentials assigned to personnel participating in the ongoing CVR exercise and that such information was released without authority,” he said.

“That admission alone should concern every Nigerian.

“What Nigerians want to know is simple: how did information that resides within a restricted electoral database find its way into the hands of political actors and their associates?

“The fact that there was no external hack does not diminish the gravity of the incident.

“If anything, it raises even more troubling questions about internal controls, institutional safeguards, and the possibility of political interference.

“The Nigerian people deserve to know the complete chain of custody. Who accessed the information? Who requested it? Who received it? How did it leave INEC’s custody?

“And why did the trail lead directly to political actors associated with a serving minister who has repeatedly made unusually confident pronouncements about the outcome of a future election?”

Atiku maintained that only a thorough, independent investigation would help restore public confidence in the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system and clarify the circumstances surrounding the release of the actor’s voter registration information.