Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has declared that this year’s Children’s Day celebration comes as “a painful time” for families across the nation, following the mass abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on 15 May 2026. In a statement signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, on 27 May, CAN said it marks the day with “a mixture of gratitude for the lives and potential of Nigerian children and deep concern over the growing dangers confronting them across the country”. The body noted that the incident has once again raised painful questions about the safety of children and the future of education in an atmosphere of worsening insecurity.
The coordinated attacks targeted Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Ahoro‑Esinele; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele. Residents described the assault as one of the most daring in recent times, with gunmen reportedly arriving on about eight to twelve motorcycles and operating almost simultaneously across the three locations. Eyewitnesses said the attackers shot sporadically as they entered school premises, forcing pupils and teachers to flee into nearby bushes. The violence left an assistant headmaster, Mr Joel Adesiyan, dead. Witnesses said he was trying to escape through a window when he was shot. A commercial motorcyclist who rode into the scene was also killed.
According to community leaders, a total of 46 persons – seven teachers and 39 students – were abducted from the two main schools, with a two‑year‑old toddler, Christianah Akanbi of Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School, among the kidnapped victims. Four motorcycles were also snatched from villagers. The Oyo State Police Command, however, gave a more cautious figure, confirming that seven students, 18 pupils and seven teachers remained missing. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, declined to provide operational details, stating that the rescue mission was ongoing and that security operatives were exercising extreme caution because the abductors were using the captives as human shields.
Days after the abduction, a video surfaced on social media showing the beheading of one of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher. His killing was confirmed by Dr Suleimon Olanrewaju, the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, in a statement on 18 May. On 25 May, the family of the slain teacher, through their lawyer Mr Deji Adeyanju, appealed directly to President Bola Tinubu to help recover his remains for a dignified burial. They also expressed deep concern that several other innocent Nigerians abducted during the same incident are “still believed to be held in captivity under extremely life threatening conditions”. The family requested that the president not delegate the matter but personally visit the affected families, saying “your presence would offer reassurance that the government stands firmly with them”.
The attack also led to the abduction of the vice‑principal of Community Grammar School, Mrs Rachael Alamu, alongside other teachers. The attackers used her Toyota Corolla to transport some of the victims, later abandoning and setting the vehicle ablaze when it developed a mechanical fault. The Inspector‑General of Police, Tunji Disu, has deployed additional detectives from the Force Headquarters to support the rescue operation. A security source quoted by OGTV said the aim is to ensure that the abducted persons are rescued unhurt, adding that “the government and the relevant security agencies are leaving no stone unturned”. The Defence Headquarters has also assured that all necessary resources are being deployed to secure the safe return of the victims.
CAN noted that the incident has once again exposed the fragility of the nation’s security architecture and the devastating toll it continues to exact on innocent children and their families. Archbishop Okoh said the association is deeply troubled by the plight of children who remain in captivity and by the emotional agony their families continue to endure. “No child should have to experience fear and violence in a place meant for learning, protection and hope,” he stated. He also expressed deep concern for the teachers caught in the tragedy, who “do far more than teach lessons in classrooms. They guide, protect, encourage and nurture children entrusted to their care every day. In many ways, they become trusted guardians and second parents to the young lives they help shape”.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, CAN stressed that millions of Nigerian children continue to struggle with poverty, hunger, abuse, trafficking and limited access to quality education and healthcare. “A country where parents are afraid to send their children to school and teachers are uncertain about their safety cannot claim to be securing its future,” the statement said. The body called on governments at all levels and security agencies to treat the protection of schools and children as an urgent national responsibility, adding that every attack on a school damages public confidence, weakens national development and leaves emotional scars that can shape the future of a generation. To Nigerian children living under difficult conditions, CAN offered a message of hope: “Your future remains important, your lives have value, and your dreams deserve protection and support”.
In its Children’s Day message, CAN concluded by urging leaders and citizens to work together to build a Nigeria where every child can live, learn and grow in peace, safety and dignity.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com
📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News
🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew
📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments