The Oyo State House of Assembly has rejected suggestions that the state government should negotiate with terrorists, calling for intensified rescue operations to secure the release of victims abducted in the Oriire Local Government Area.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by the lawmaker representing Oriire State Constituency, Hon. Johnson Ogundele, during plenary shortly after the House resumed from the Eid-el-Kabir recess.
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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,” highlighted growing insecurity in parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the motion, Ogundele recounted the May 15 attack on Esinele, Oyo and Yawota communities in the Oriire Local Government Area, where armed bandits invaded schools during school hours, killing a teacher, a student and an okada rider, while abducting dozens of students, pupils and teachers.
The lawmaker expressed concern over the recurring attacks in the area, noting that Oriire had witnessed increasing bandit activities since January, including the attack on the National Park Service Office at Oloka village, where five forest guards were killed.
He commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his swift response and personal visit to the affected communities, urging the State Government to intensify support for security agencies.
The Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanjo Adedoyin (Ogbomoso South), who seconded the motion, renewed the calls for the establishment of state police, urging the Federal Government to remove all obstacles delaying its creation.
Adedoyin said the recent rescue operations exposed the challenges conventional security agencies face while navigating dense forests, forcing them to rely heavily on local vigilantes and operatives of the Oyo State Security Network Agency, codenamed Amotekun Corps, to penetrate difficult terrains.
The Assembly called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to immediately conduct security audits of schools located near forests and border settlements across the state.
The lawmakers further urged 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 State.
The House subsequently adopted several resolutions, including a call on the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Defence and relevant agencies, to establish a permanent Military Base in the Oriire Local Government Area.
The lawmakers also urged the Oyo State Emergency Management Agency (OYSEMA) to provide trauma counselling, psychosocial support and relief materials to affected families, while calling on traditional rulers, community leaders and local government authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering and community policing initiatives.
The Assembly further directed its Committee on Security and Strategy to undertake an oversight visit to the Oriire Local Government Area to assess the security situation, engage stakeholders, and recommend urgent legislative interventions.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Adebo Ogundoyin, firmly dismissed calls for the State Government to negotiate with terrorists and kidnappers, warning that such a move could embolden criminal elements and encourage further attacks.
While acknowledging the frustration, anxiety and impatience of families whose loved ones remain in captivity, the Speaker urged residents to continue supporting security agencies and the State Government in ongoing rescue efforts.
Ogundoyin maintained that the focus should remain on sustained security operations, intelligence gathering and coordinated rescue missions aimed at securing the safe release of all the victims.
He reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to supporting measures that would strengthen security across Oyo State and prevent a recurrence of attacks on schools and communities.
