Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Oyo State Government has extended the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on 10 local government areas bordering the Old Oyo National Park by an additional 24 hours, as security forces intensify efforts to rescue 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers abducted over a month ago. Governor Seyi Makinde approved the extension, which was announced in a memo issued on Thursday, June 25, 2026, by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde. The curfew, which runs daily from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., was initially scheduled to last 48 hours but will now remain in force until Saturday, June 27, 2026.
The affected local government areas are Oriire (headquarters: Ikoyi-Ile); Orelope (headquarters: Igboho); Irepo (headquarters: Kisi); Saki West (headquarters: Saki); Saki East (headquarters: Ago-Amodu); Atisbo (headquarters: Tede/Ago-Are); Itesiwaju (headquarters: Otu); Iseyin (headquarters: Iseyin); Olorunsogo (headquarters: Igbeti); and Atiba (headquarters: Offa-Meta, Oyo). The restriction was imposed as part of the state's ongoing efforts to tackle kidnapping and other security challenges in communities located around the Old Oyo National Park, a vast forest reserve that authorities believe is being used as a hideout by the abductors.
The crisis began on May 15, 2026, when armed bandits launched coordinated attacks on three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area: Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esinle. During the raids, the attackers killed one teacher and abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers. One of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded while in captivity. The victims have now spent over 40 days in captivity.
Security forces, including troops and police personnel, have been conducting search-and-rescue operations within the park and surrounding communities. The curfew is intended to restrict the movement of suspected criminals and support ongoing military and police deployments by enabling security forces to intensify surveillance and intelligence-gathering operations. Governor Makinde has repeatedly vowed to leave no stone unturned to ensure the safe release of the victims and reunite them with their families.
The extension comes amid growing public frustration and anxiety. The abduction has forced the closure of schools across the state and triggered an indefinite strike by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), which has demanded the safe rescue of all abducted victims and the implementation of concrete security measures to prevent future attacks. The Oyo State Government has appealed to the union to suspend its strike, warning that the prolonged shutdown is creating severe social and economic consequences for thousands of families. However, the NUT has remained firm, insisting that schools will stay shut until the government implements concrete security measures to guarantee the safety of educators and learners.
Meanwhile, the federal and state governments have said they are working with security agencies to secure the release of the abductees unharmed. However, no concrete timeline for the victims' rescue has been provided, leaving families and the public in a state of agonising uncertainty. The curfew extension signals that authorities believe the abductors and victims are still within the forest region, but the operation to extract them remains ongoing and delicate.
The Old Oyo National Park, a sprawling 2,500-square-kilometre reserve that was once a tourist attraction, has increasingly become a haven for criminal groups operating across Oyo and neighbouring states. Its dense vegetation and remote location make it an ideal sanctuary for bandits, kidnappers, and other criminal elements. Residents of communities bordering the park have long complained about banditry and the inability to go to their farms freely. The government's decision to extend the curfew reflects the severity of the threat and the determination to deny criminals freedom of movement.
For the families of the 46 abducted victims, the extension of the curfew is a bittersweet development. While it signals continued government action, it also underscores the prolonged nature of their ordeal. Each passing day brings fresh anguish, and the absence of any breakthrough in the rescue effort has deepened the pain. The federal and state governments have yet to announce any further changes to the restrictions beyond the newly approved extension. For now, the 10 local government areas remain under lockdown, and the people of Oyo State hold their breath, praying for the safe return of the abducted children and teachers.
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