By Adeola Badru, IBADAN
The traumatic experience of spending 56 days in captivity has left many parents and relatives of pupils abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State reluctant to send their children back to the affected schools, despite their successful rescue.
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While expressing gratitude to God, the Federal Government, security agencies and everyone who contributed to securing the victims’ release, some parents said the psychological impact of the ordeal remained too overwhelming for them to immediately allow their children to return to the schools where the abduction occurred.
The abduction took place on May 15, 2026, when terrorists stormed Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esiele; Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; and L.A. Primary School, Ahoro-Esiele, near Ogbomoso, abducting 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a school principal.
The victims were taken into nearby forests, particularly around the Old Oyo National Park, where they remained in captivity for 56 days. Two teachers were killed during the attack, while the remaining victims were later rescued by security forces and reunited with their families.
Parents consider alternative schools
Despite the rescue, many families said the experience had left deep emotional scars, with some indicating they would rather enrol their children in alternative schools than expose them to another traumatic experience.
Some relatives said that during the 56 days in captivity, many families had lost hope that their loved ones would return alive, insisting that convincing security guarantee must precede any return to the affected schools.
One relative, Fausat Akindele, said the incident had permanently changed many parents’ perception of the schools’ safety.
“What happened has changed everything for us. We thank God that our children are back, but the fear is still there. Parents need to be convinced that the schools are now safe before they can comfortably allow their children to return.”
Another family member, Basirat Adigun, said the ordeal had created deep anxiety among parents.
“No parent wants to take any risk after what these children went through. We appreciate the efforts that brought them back, but we need to see concrete security measures around the schools and the communities before we can think of returning them.”
Another relative, Adenike, whose elder sister’s children were among those abducted, said the children’s emotional well-being must come before any decision on returning them to school.
“Although education remains important, the emotional well-being of the children and my sister’s confidence in their safety must come first before any decision is made on their return to the school.
“There is a need to recover from the experience. Returning to the same environment immediately will be difficult unless everyone is certain that adequate protection is in place.”
Their fears understandable — Oyo govt
Reacting, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, said the parents’ fears were understandable given the emotional trauma they had endured.
“It is understandable if parents do not want to send their children back to those schools.
“As human beings, the emotional trauma which they have undergone will ordinarily not allow them to freely release their children to further their education because of the nightmare.”
He acknowledged that many parents might opt to transfer their children to other schools despite the inconvenience.“Many parents may be willing to bear the considerable logistical inconvenience of transferring their children to other schools, but they would be comfortable dealing with that.
“As a government, we understand what they have gone through for 56 nightmarish days. When they see the government’s efforts in providing security and securing the schools and surrounding communities, they should be able to change their minds.”
Oyelade said the state government had already begun implementing interventions to improve infrastructure in the affected schools.
“The state government has already taken steps and mapped out further interventions. We will provide the infrastructure, which is our mandate, through the Ministry of Education to promote the welfare and well-being of all citizens. The process has started.
“Security is primarily the responsibility of the Federal Government. If both levels of government work in tandem, we should overcome the initial and understandable fears and anxieties of these parents.”
