Oyo Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin reveals terrorist demands for weapons, money and law changes in exchange for abducted schoolchildren and teachers
Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, has disclosed that armed groups holding abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area are demanding weapons, money and concessions on future laws as conditions for their release.
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Ogundoyin made the revelation while addressing growing national debate on whether government authorities should negotiate with kidnappers and terrorist groups to secure the freedom of victims.
The disclosure comes in the wake of coordinated attacks on communities in Esiele and Yawota, where pupils, teachers and residents were abducted, triggering widespread outrage and renewed concerns over insecurity in the region.
According to Ogundoyin, the demands presented by the abductors extend far beyond financial ransom and raise serious constitutional and security implications.
“To bring these children and teachers back, if it is up to you, will you negotiate with terrorists if terrorists ask for weapons, they ask for money, they ask for concessions on future laws of this land as part of their ransom?” he said.
The Speaker questioned whether accepting such conditions would be justified, warning that it could set a dangerous precedent for future incidents involving armed groups.
He stressed that conceding to such demands could further embolden criminal networks and escalate insecurity across affected communities.
“The more you negotiate with these people, the more you embolden them,” Ogundoyin added.
His remarks come amid sustained public pressure on both the Oyo State Government and the Federal Government to secure the release of dozens of abducted schoolchildren and teachers, following the May 15 attacks.
Families of the victims have continued to make emotional appeals for urgent intervention, with parents recounting harrowing details of the abduction.
One mother, Mrs Aduke Balogun, described how armed men invaded her community, shooting sporadically before taking her eight-year-old daughter, Kehinde Kaosara, alongside other pupils.
In earlier reports, the attackers were said to have killed an assistant headmaster, Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist before fleeing with victims into a nearby forest reserve.
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Ogundoyin’s comments are expected to further intensify national discussions on security strategy and the risks associated with negotiating with armed groups, as pressure mounts for decisive action to secure the safe return of the abducted victims.
