Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has publicly disagreed with Governor Seyi Makinde, advising state officials to refrain from describing the armed men who abducted 46 pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as "terrorists." In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, the military insisted that the May 15 attack on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Ahoro‑Esinele; and L.A. Primary School was an isolated criminal incident rather than evidence of an entrenched insurgent presence in the South‑West. The military's rebuttal came hours after Governor Makinde told journalists that a mathematics teacher abducted during the raid had been killed by "the terrorists," and that with mounting pressure on criminal groups in the North‑West, "they will keep moving southward." The governor also confirmed that security operatives had encountered improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during rescue operations, an indication of the sophistication of the attackers.
The DHQ, however, offered a contrasting perspective. It argued that intelligence assessments available to security agencies do not support the conclusion that a "structured or permanent" terrorist base has been established in the forests or hinterlands of the South‑West. Onoja noted that the Armed Forces had previously conducted extensive clearance operations inside the Old Oyo National Park, significantly weakening criminal groups operating within that axis. "The incident in Oyo State remains an isolated criminal act and does not indicate the presence of an entrenched insurgent structure in the region," the DHQ statement read, adding that the military cautions against narratives that could create unnecessary panic or embolden adversaries by exaggerating their capabilities. While acknowledging that a teacher was beheaded in captivity and several security personnel were wounded by IEDs, the military still classified the gang as "criminal elements" rather than terrorists.
General Michael Onoja further revealed that troops have made direct contact with the suspected kidnappers and have reorganised for sustained pursuit. Joint operations involving other security agencies, local vigilantes, and community informants are ongoing across forest corridors and ungoverned spaces. The military also reminded the public that prior clearance operations in the Old Oyo National Park had neutralised criminal hideouts and that current operations are focused on rescue and the dismantling of criminal networks in the region. The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, expressed sympathy to the families of the victims and assured the public that the Armed Forces are deploying all resources to secure the unconditional release of the abducted.
At the centre of this disagreement are 46 missing individuals, including toddlers as young as two years old and the principal of Community High School. The armed attack, which occurred on Friday, May 15, 2026, saw at least 46 pupils and teachers taken from their classrooms, two residents killed, and one teacher beheaded. In the days that followed, Governor Makinde mobilised a multi‑agency security response, resulting in the arrest of several suspects believed to be informants providing logistical support to the attackers. But it was the governor's use of the word "terrorists" during multiple public briefings that triggered the military's response. Makinde had told reporters: "With the pressure on the terrorists and bandits in the North‑West, they will keep moving southward." He also stated that preliminary investigations indicated that informants were aiding the attackers from within local communities. In a separate statement, the governor lamented that the abducted teacher was "killed by the terrorists."
The split between the military and Makinde has exposed a deeper ideological and operational divide. For the military, the label "terrorist" implies a level of ideological organisation, external sponsorship, and sustained structural capacity that the Oyo attackers allegedly do not possess. For Makinde and many residents of the South‑West, however, anyone who storm a school armed with AK‑47s, abduct children, use IEDs to repel rescuers, and behead a captive teacher has clearly crossed the threshold of terrorism, regardless of the presence of a regional terror infrastructure. The public reaction, particularly on social media, largely favoured the governor's description. A commentator on Nairaland summed up the sentiment: "People are destroying the life and properties of citizens that the government is sworn to protect, and you say let's be talking about semantics." Another social media user stated that if the military chooses to belittle the identity of what the attackers truly are, then Nigerians will perceive the security forces as less competent about their inability to clear them out.
What is undisputed is the scale of the tactical challenge. Security sources confirmed that a joint team of soldiers, police, Amotekun Corps members, and local hunters encountered IEDs during the initial rescue push. One Amotekun operative remains in critical condition after being caught in an explosion, and several other personnel were wounded. The attackers also used mobile phones to coordinate their movements and shared routes through the Old Oyo National Park with the help of local informants. Six such informants have been arrested by the police. These elements, some observers argue, are precisely the hallmarks of a terror group: premeditated logistics, the use of civilian shields, planted explosives, and the willingness to execute captives on video. The military, however, insists these are traits of hardened criminal gangs rather than a structured terrorist cadre.
Behind this definitional dispute lies a practical question: does calling the attackers "criminals" rather than "terrorists" influence the intensity of the response and the readiness of international partners to assist? Former presidential candidate and activist Omoyele Sowore weighed in on the debate, noting that for years, Nigerians have argued that bandits are terrorists, as they terrorise the people. "Perhaps until they have access to bomb factories like Boko Haram, the Nigerian military will continue to insist on 'ordinary criminals'," he commented. Meanwhile, the families of the 46 victims continue to wait, with no word of rescue. The IEDs planted by the attackers have made a direct assault perilous. Governor Makinde has admitted that the situation remains difficult and fluid, with no quick fixes.
The Defence Headquarters’ insistence on terminological precision has done little to comfort parents or to stop other rural communities from fleeing their homes in fear. The only fact that truly matters to those families is that classrooms have become war zones, two-year-olds are still missing, and six days later, no one has been able to bring them home.
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