The principal of Community High School Esinele, Oyo State, Folawe Alamu, has appealed to the federal government and Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently ensure her rescue and the pupils abducted by gunmen on Friday.

Mrs Alamu and the pupils were kidnapped in the school located in the Oriire Local Government Area of state, when gunmen who invaded the council area also attacked some schools, killed a deputy headteacher and a commercial biker. 

In a viral video, Mrs Alamu also begged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene and ensure a peaceful resolution of the matter to prevent loss of life.

The victim said the suspected gunmen attacked the school at about 9:30am on Friday, abducting several pupils and staff members of the school.

“I am Mrs Alamu F.R. I am the principal of Community High School Esinele in Oriire Local Government of Oyo State. On Friday, around 9:30am, we were attacked by a certain group of people and a good number of us were abducted. The staff and the students as well,” Mrs Alamu stated.

“We have been here since Friday. I am making this video to ask for help from everyone, starting from the Federal Government of Nigeria and Oyo State government, Engineer Seyi Makinde, the Christian Association of Nigeria and all well-meaning Nigerians, that they should come to our help and settle this thing peacefully so that our lives will not be lost,” she said.

Contacted for comment on the development, the state police spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka, told the Peoples Gazette that the command was aware of the video, adding that efforts were ongoing to address the situation.

“We are aware of the video and work is ongoing,” Mr Olayinka said.

Earlier on Friday, the state police command said suspected hoodlums invaded two communities in the Oriire Local Government Area, and abducted pupils and staff members. 

The command’s spokesperson stated that an assistant headmaster, identified as only Adesiyan was killed during the attack, while a commercial motorcyclist, who reportedly resisted the attackers’ attempt to seize his motorcycle, was also shot dead.

In an update on Saturday, the state government said security operatives had successfully located and trapped the suspected kidnappers responsible for the attack inside the national park. 

The state Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the suspects were confined to the national park axis, between northern Oyo and southern Kwara states, to restrict their movement and prevent escape into neighbouring states, particularly Kwara State. 

Also, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, on Saturday, during a visit to the incident scene, described the attack as “cruel and unacceptable.”

Mr Disu ordered the deployment of additional tactical and intelligence resources to reinforce ongoing operations in the affected community and surrounding forests.