A distraught farmer, Michael Ojo, has narrated how heavily armed attackers invaded Esiele and Yawota communities in Oyo State, abducting his four children, daughter-in-law, and grandchild during coordinated assaults on rural settlements and schools.
Ojo said the attackers stormed schools in Esiele, opening fire and killing a primary school teacher while pupils and staff fled in panic. He explained that the gunmen quickly overpowered the school and began selecting children to be taken away.
According to him, the abductors forced the female school principal to drive the kidnapped pupils into a nearby forest reserve using her Corolla car, while others were packed into the vehicle. He added that the forest stretch was so vast that it extended far beyond surrounding settlements.
The farmer also said a separate group of attackers invaded Yawota community, some dressed in military uniforms and others in jalabiya, before opening fire at a primary school. He recounted how a tailor was shot dead during the chaos as residents attempted to flee the scene.
Ojo further revealed that some older pupils managed to escape by jumping through windows, but several others were captured and marched into the forest under gunfire. He added that the attackers also stole motorcycles as they retreated, while residents remained trapped indoors throughout the operation due to intense shooting.