Oyo Kidnap: 'Tracking Abductors Very Difficult'

Oyo Kidnap: ‘Tracking Abductors Very Difficult’ – Senator Buhari
He warns military action could endanger the children’s lives.
Forest terrain and movement of gunmen complicate rescue efforts.

The senator representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Abdulfatai Buhari, has raised concerns that the 47 pupils abducted in Oyo State are being used as human shields by their abductors, complicating ongoing rescue efforts.

The pupils were kidnapped by gunmen from schools in Ogbomoso and Oriire Local Government Areas, an incident that has heightened fear across affected communities and renewed concerns over the spread of banditry in parts of the South West.

EDITOR’S PICKS

EKO HOT BLOG reports that speaking on Arise Television’s *Prime Time* programme on Thursday night, Buhari said security forces must proceed with caution to avoid endangering the lives of the abducted children.

He explained that the abductors moved the children into a dense forest and positioned them around themselves, making a direct military response extremely risky.

“The early part, they took the children to surround themselves and it was raining, so if you decide to attack, they will kill all the 47 children, they used them as human shields,” he said.

“The abductors use these children to surround themselves, basically using them as human shields. It is not a conventional war.”

Buhari added that the terrain where the kidnappers are believed to be hiding has made tracking difficult, noting that the forest spans several states, including Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Kebbi and Sokoto, and extends toward international borders with Benin Republic and Niger Republic.

“In most cases all these people come into the forest and it’s very thick, no beginning no end. The sad aspect is that they don’t stay in one place, they will be moving, so tracking them becomes very difficult,” he said.

He further alleged that some of the armed men operating in the region may be foreigners who move through forest corridors across borders.

According to him, the nature of the operation requires a non-conventional security approach due to the mobility of the attackers and the risk to the abducted pupils.

Buhari also disclosed that a Federal Government delegation visited families of victims affected by the attack, including relatives of a man who was killed during the incident.

He said the delegation offered condolences and reassurance to the bereaved families while appealing for calm as rescue efforts continue.

“When the Federal government delegation came, we went to see all the families, including the one that was brutally murdered,” he said.

He added that families had appealed for the recovery of the victims, including the remains of the deceased.

Oyo Tracking Abductors Very Difficult - Senator Buhari — Oyo Tracking Abductors Very Difficult – Senator Buhari

The senator stressed that the situation requires careful handling by security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted pupils, warning that any rushed military action could worsen the outcome.

The abduction has continued to spark outrage and anxiety across Oyo communities, with residents calling for stronger security measures and urgent efforts to rescue the children alive.