Oyo Abduction Enters Week Four With Victims Still in Captivity

More than 40 pupils and teachers abducted from three primary schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State entered their fourth week in captivity on Democracy Day, Friday, June 12, 2026, as federal and state security agencies continued rescue operations without a confirmed breakthrough, deepening national anguish on a day meant to celebrate democratic governance.

The victims, including 39 students and seven teachers seized on May 15, 2026, from Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School in Esiele, and L.A. Primary School, remain in the custody of their abductors believed to be hiding in the forest terrain of the Old Oyo National Park. An assistant headmaster was killed during the attack, and a nursing mother was among those taken.

President Tinubu addressed the captivity directly in his Democracy Day speech, describing the abductions as heartbreaking and assuring families that securing the release of the victims remained a top government priority. He said security agencies were fully deployed and adequately resourced. The Nigerian Air Force continued aerial surveillance of the Oke-Ogun zone, while ground forces involving the Army, Police, Amotekun Corps, Civil Defence, and local hunters maintained pressure on the area.

Teachers Strike Enters Second Week

The Nigeria Union of Teachers’ indefinite strike in Oyo State entered its second week, keeping hundreds of thousands of students out of classrooms across the state. Union officials said teachers could not return to work while their colleagues remained in captivity without adequate security guarantees in place. The strike compounded the trauma already experienced by parents, families, and the wider education community across Oyo.

Civil society groups, including the Civil Society Coalition on Education for All, demanded that the federal government suspend Democracy Day celebrations and declare a national day of mourning until the victims were released. CSACEFA Chairman Caesar Akudike said it was impossible for a nation to celebrate democracy while its children and teachers sat in captivity in the bush, exposed to hunger, fear, violence, and uncertainty.

Meanwhile, Femi Falana, who led the nationwide June 12 protests, also linked the abduction crisis directly to the failure of democratic governance to deliver security for ordinary citizens. He reiterated his call for security agencies to focus entirely on the rescue operation without political distraction. Furthermore, Governor Seyi Makinde said he was not resting until the victims were home, and his administration confirmed that intelligence-led negotiations were ongoing alongside the military and police operations. Notably, President Tinubu’s approval of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State and the deployment of a specialised tactical unit represented structural responses aimed at preventing future attacks even as the immediate crisis remained unresolved. Consequently, the Oyo abduction has become the defining security and governance story of Nigeria’s 2026 Democracy Day.

Alex Ekubo Funeral Rites Begin in Lagos

In other national news, Nollywood stars and gospel singers gathered in Lagos on Thursday for the service of songs marking the passing of actor Alexx Ekubo, whose funeral rites officially began with an emotional evening ceremony attended by members of the entertainment industry. In addition, veteran broadcaster and music critic Benson Idonije, grandfather of Afrobeats star Burna Boy, celebrated his 90th birthday, with tributes pouring in from across Nigeria’s music and culture community.