For years, Oyo State was largely regarded as one of the relatively peaceful states in Nigeria’s South-West region. While sporadic incidents of armed robbery, farmer-herder clashes and isolated kidnappings occurred, the state largely escaped the scale of violence that plagued parts of the North-West and North-Central regions.
However, recent developments have dramatically altered that perception.
A wave of kidnappings, attacks on schools and growing fears over the activities of armed criminal groups operating in parts of the states have placed Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration under intense scrutiny. At the same time, the worsening security situation has piled pressure on President Bola Tinubu, whose administration has repeatedly pledged to tackle insecurity across the country.
The crisis reached a turning point in May when gunmen carried out coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting dozens of pupils and teachers in what has been described as one of the most serious security breaches in the South-West in recent years.
School abductions shock Oyo
The attacks on educational institutions in communities within Oriire Local Government Area of the on May 15, 2026, sent shockwaves across the state and beyond.
Armed men invaded schools and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers. Reports indicated that 39 students and seven teachers were taken away by the attackers, while at least one teacher was killed during the incident.
The attack immediately revived painful memories of mass school abductions that had become common in parts of northern Nigeria but were relatively rare in the South-West.
Security analysts described the incident as a dangerous signal that criminal groups were expanding their operations into new territories.
The incident have since triggered widespread outrage among residents, labour unions, civil society organisations and education stakeholders, many of whom questioned how heavily armed kidnappers could successfully attack multiple schools without being intercepted by security agencies.
Makinde admits intelligence failure
Governor Seyi Makinde responded swiftly after the attacks, visiting affected communities and assuring residents that efforts were underway to rescue the victims.
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Yet the governor also acknowledged serious lapses in security intelligence.
Makinde stated that the abduction exposed failures in intelligence gathering and information sharing, stressing that authorities needed better collaboration with local communities to prevent similar incidents.
While some residents welcomed the governor’s frank admission, critics argued that acknowledging intelligence failures was insufficient at a time when communities were demanding concrete action.
Opposition figures and community leaders questioned whether enough had been done to secure vulnerable rural communities despite previous warnings about criminal activities in forest reserves and remote areas of the state.
Adelabu’s sibling and twin sons kidnapped
The sister of former Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 Oyo governorship aspirant, Bayo Adelabu, was on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026, abducted alongside her twin sons in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to an eyewitness, the incident occurred on Wednesday morning in the Challenge area of Ibadan South-West Local Government Area, the PUNCH reports.
The family, through a media aide, Femi Awogboro, confirmed the abduction, stating that the victims were taken by armed men around 7:30 a.m. while the woman was taking her children to school.
The statement identified the victims as Mrs. Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, aged 43, and her 12-year-old twin sons, Peter and Paul.
“The family of Adebayo Adelabu… wishes to formally confirm the unfortunate kidnapping of his younger sister alongside her twin sons in the early hours of Wednesday, June 3, 2026,” the statement read.
It added that security agencies had been informed immediately after the incident and had commenced preliminary investigations aimed at securing their release.
The family expressed distress over the development but said it remained hopeful that security operatives would rescue the victims unharmed.
“We are pleased to confirm that security operatives have swung into action and preliminary investigations have commenced in earnest,” the statement added.
The New Daily Prime reported that the Oyo State Police Command, through its spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, in a statement, said the police commissioner, Olugbenga Abimbola, had directed the divisional police officer at the Challenge Division, alongside other tactical teams, to proceed to the scene of the alleged crime.
“The Oyo state police command has commenced an investigation into the abduction of Mrs Olufunmilayo Aduke Adegoke and her twin sons, who were reportedly abducted earlier today,” the statement said. “Investigations are ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice,” it said.
Fear spreads across communities
The impact of the school attacks extended beyond the immediate victims.
Across Oyo communities, anxiety surged as parents worried about the safety of their children.
School attendance reportedly dropped significantly following rumours of possible attacks on educational institutions. Many parents chose to keep their children at home, fearing that schools could become targets for kidnappers.
Teachers’ unions also reacted strongly.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers and other stakeholders intensified demands for improved security around schools, while concerns grew about the broader implications for education in the region.
Education experts warned that recurring attacks on schools could worsen Nigeria’s existing learning crisis by discouraging attendance and undermining public confidence in the safety of educational institutions.
The governor has defended his administration’s efforts, insisting that security agencies are working tirelessly to secure the release of victims and dismantle criminal networks. He has also met with affected families and pledged that no resources would be spared in rescue operations.
Tinubu faces national scrutiny
While the immediate responsibility for local security management often falls on state governments, Nigeria’s constitutional structure places control of the police, military and most security agencies under the Federal Government.
Consequently, the Oyo crisis has also become a major test for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Following the school abductions, Tinubu condemned the attacks and described the reported killing of an abducted teacher as barbaric. He assured Nigerians that security agencies would pursue the perpetrators and rescue the victims.
The President subsequently approved special interventions, including the deployment of additional security resources and the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State as part of broader efforts to strengthen security in vulnerable areas.
Yet opposition parties, labour groups and civil society organisations maintain that the Oyo attacks underscore wider national security challenges that remain unresolved nearly three years into Tinubu’s presidency.
Calls for urgent action
As families continue to await the safe return of abducted victims, pressure is mounting on both the Oyo State Government and the Federal Government to demonstrate measurable results.
Residents are demanding stronger intelligence gathering, more effective policing of rural communities, tighter monitoring of forests and improved collaboration between security agencies and local vigilante groups.
For Governor Makinde, the challenge is to reassure citizens that Oyo remains safe and that criminal groups will not establish a permanent foothold in the state.
For President Tinubu, the crisis has become another test of his administration’s promise to restore security and public confidence across Nigeria.
Until the kidnappings are decisively addressed and communities feel secure once again, both leaders are likely to remain under intense public and political pressure.
