Suspected terrorists who abducted schoolchildren and teachers from three schools in Esinele, Yamota and Alawusa communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have reportedly opened communication channels with the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde.
The kidnappers insisted they would only negotiate directly with the state government and refused to engage with families of the victims, according to sources quoted by Punch.
“They said they only want to talk to the governor and nobody else,” one source disclosed.
Although it remains unclear whether Makinde himself is directly involved in the negotiations or acting through representatives, insiders described the development as a significant breakthrough amid growing fears over the safety of the abducted pupils and teachers.
The victims, including toddlers aged between two and three years, have now spent eight days in captivity after gunmen stormed the schools last Friday.
Community leaders and residents said anxiety had intensified as the rainy season set in, making movement through forests more dangerous for both captives and rescue teams.
Sources within the affected communities claimed the abductees were being moved through dense forests and across neighbouring states to avoid security pressure.
A community leader who spoke anonymously said residents remained in the dark over the whereabouts of the victims.
“We are worried about their safety. We don’t know how they are faring. Children of two-year-old are among the abductees,” the source said.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Security, Abayomi Fagbenro, declined to comment on the reported negotiations.
Meanwhile, fear has spread across schools in Ogbomoso and nearby communities including Ikose, Ikoyi, Tewure and Dananu, with many pupils abandoning classrooms over security concerns.
Teachers told Punch that attendance in both public and private schools had dropped drastically since the attacks.
A teacher at Ikose Primary School said panic worsened after students at Areago Grammar School reportedly mistook local hunters for terrorists earlier in the week, triggering chaos that led to the death of a pupil in a road accident and the reported death of his mother from shock.
Another teacher in Tewure said several parents informed her their children would remain at home indefinitely because they no longer felt safe attending school.
Teachers also expressed fears for their own safety following the killing of two colleagues during the attack.
Former Assistant Headmaster of L.A. Primary School, Joel Adesiyan, was shot dead during the abduction, while another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly beheaded in captivity.
One teacher identified simply as Oyeyemi described the atmosphere among education workers as deeply traumatising.
“When you hear that a fellow teacher was killed and another was beheaded, you will understand the level of panic. We are humans too. We have families waiting for us at home,” she said.
The killing of Oyedokun has drawn widespread outrage, especially after disturbing footage allegedly released by his abductors surfaced online.
Family spokesperson Ebeni Adediran described the late teacher as humble and dedicated, revealing that he died childless despite being married for more than a decade.
“The most painful part is that he did not leave any child behind,” Adediran lamented.
The family also appealed to Nigerians to stop circulating graphic videos and images linked to the killing, saying the content was worsening their trauma.
On Friday, emotional scenes played out in Ogbomoso as mourners gathered for the burial of Adesiyan at Ayegun Baptist Church.
Representing Governor Makinde at the funeral, Permanent Secretary Michael Ojelabi assured residents that the state government was working to secure the safe release of those still in captivity.
“The government is doing all within its capacity to ensure that those in captivity are returned unhurt,” he said.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Oyo State, Fatai Hassan, described Adesiyan as a committed and peace-loving educator whose death had left a painful void within the teaching community.
As fears continue to mount, parents and teachers have called for increased security presence around schools, especially in isolated rural communities vulnerable to attacks by armed groups.
