An emotional farmer in Oyo State has lamented the abduction of four of his children, his daughter-in-law, and an infant grandchild following a violent attack linked to a school-related journey, describing the incident as the darkest moment of his life.
The distraught father, identified as Pa Samuel Adegoke, reportedly made the heartbreaking statement, “I wish I never sent them to school,” while recounting how armed kidnappers intercepted members of his family during the incident that has shocked residents of the affected community and renewed concerns over insecurity in parts of south-west Nigeria.
According to community sources and local security reports, the victims were abducted while returning from school-related activities along a rural route frequently used by students and residents in Oyo State. The attack reportedly occurred when heavily armed men blocked the road and forcefully took the victims into a nearby forest area.
The abducted victims were identified as four school-aged children belonging to the same family, alongside their sister-in-law and her infant child. Residents said the attackers operated for several minutes before fleeing the scene without immediate resistance, raising concerns over the security situation in rural communities within the state.
Family members said the incident has left the household devastated, with relatives struggling emotionally and financially as fears continue to grow over the safety of the victims. The elderly father reportedly broke down repeatedly while speaking to sympathisers who gathered at the family residence following news of the abduction.
Local leaders in the area condemned the attack and called on security agencies to intensify rescue operations. Community members also appealed to the Oyo State Government and federal authorities to strengthen security patrols around schools, rural roads, and farming settlements vulnerable to criminal attacks.
Kidnapping for ransom has increasingly spread beyond Nigeria’s northern regions into parts of the South-West, with armed groups exploiting isolated roads and forest corridors to target travelers, students, and rural residents.
Security analysts note that attacks involving children often generate heightened public outrage due to the psychological trauma inflicted on families and communities. They also warn that repeated attacks on school routes and educational activities risk discouraging school attendance in vulnerable areas.
Authorities in Oyo State have not released full operational details surrounding the latest incident, but local vigilante groups and security personnel were reportedly deployed to comb surrounding forests in search of the abducted victims.
The attack comes amid wider national concerns over insecurity affecting schools and rural communities across Nigeria. Over the past several years, multiple incidents involving kidnappings of students and family members have triggered renewed calls for stronger rural policing, intelligence gathering, and rapid emergency response systems.
Residents of the affected area said fear has continued to spread across nearby communities, with many parents expressing anxiety over sending children to school or allowing them to travel through remote routes without security escort.
Traditional rulers and religious leaders in the community have also urged the government to take decisive action against kidnapping networks operating within forested areas connecting several states in the South-West region.
As security operations continue, family members of the abducted victims say their primary concern remains the safe return of their loved ones, while appeals for government intervention and stronger protection measures continue to intensify across the state.
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