Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The family of Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher abducted and beheaded during the coordinated terrorist attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15, 2026, has formally appealed to President Bola Tinubu for urgent personal intervention. In a petition dated May 25, 2026, addressed to the President through the Chief of Staff to the President, the family, acting through their lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, demanded the immediate recovery of the remains of their son for a dignified burial, and called for a personal visit from the President to the grieving family as a sign of compassion and leadership.
The attack on the schools in the Ahoro-Esinle axis of Ogbomoso was one of the most brazen in the state's recent history. On that Friday morning, about 12 armed bandits on motorcycles, dressed in military camouflage, invaded Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinle; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele. The assailants shot sporadically into the air, killing two teachers, including Mr. Joel Adesiyan, an assistant headmaster, and a commercial motorcyclist, before abducting over 40 pupils and staff. The victims included the principal of Community High School, Mrs. Alamu Folawe, and other teachers. In a viral video that surfaced two days later, the captors beheaded Mr. Oyedokun, a father of two, who had been abducted alongside his colleagues. The video sparked outrage across the nation and heightened fears over the worsening security crisis in the South-West.
In the letter to the President, the family described the late Oyedokun as a peaceful and diligent teacher whose life was "cruelly and violently cut short under heartbreaking and inhumane circumstances." The petition noted that despite widespread national reports of his death, his remains are yet to be seen or recovered. "In these distressing circumstances, we respectfully appeal for Your Excellency’s urgent intervention to direct the relevant security and intelligence agencies to intensify efforts towards locating and recovering his body, so that his family may be afforded the solemn opportunity to conduct a dignified burial and rescue other victims still in captivity," the letter read. The family also expressed deep concern that several other Nigerians, including those abducted alongside the late teacher, are still believed to be held in captivity "under extremely life threatening conditions."
Beyond the recovery of the body, the family specifically urged President Tinubu not to delegate the matter to representatives alone. "Your presence would offer reassurance that the government stands firmly with them in their grief and shows government commitment to rescuing the remaining abducted victims," the petition added. The family also called on security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the remaining hostages and bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice.
The appeal came nearly two weeks after the abduction, with the government yet to secure the release of the other victims or apprehend the attackers. Security agencies had, however, made some progress. The Oyo State Police Command confirmed that six suspects believed to be informants to the abductors had been arrested, and that a joint rescue operation involving the police, military, Amotekun corps, and local vigilantes had been ongoing. The troops had made contact with the abductors and conducted intensive bush combing operations, but the actual rescue of the captives remained elusive.
The attack and the subsequent beheading of the teacher drew widespread condemnation from civil society, religious leaders, and political figures. President Tinubu himself had described the killing as "barbaric" and had ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to personally lead a technology-driven operation to rescue the victims and apprehend the perpetrators. However, the family's petition suggests that the President's orders have yet to translate into concrete action on the ground, particularly concerning the recovery of the slain teacher's body, which is necessary for a proper burial.
The incident has once again raised concerns over the deteriorating security situation in the South-West, a region previously considered relatively safe from the kind of large-scale abductions and beheadings that have plagued the North. The attack on the schools in Oriire LGA has forced the state government to shut down schools in four local government areas and has led to a heightened security alert across the state. It has also reignited the national debate on the establishment of state police, as local authorities struggle to contain the spread of banditry and terrorism.
Meanwhile, the family of the other slain teacher, Mr. Joel Adesiyan, had already laid him to rest on May 22 at his residence in the Owolake area of Ogbomoso. The burial was attended by family, friends, and colleagues who struggled to hold back tears. The deceased, a 49-year-old assistant headmaster, was described as a dedicated teacher who died without a child after 18 years of marriage. His widow and relatives have also called on the government to ensure that those responsible for the attack are brought to justice.
As the Oyedokun family awaits the President's response, the nation continues to watch and hope for the safe return of the remaining abducted victims. The family's plea for a personal visit from the President is a testament to the deep sense of abandonment felt by many victims of insecurity in the country. It is a call for the government to not only offer words of condemnation but to show tangible empathy and action.
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