The coordinated abduction of students and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has sparked widespread condemnation from the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, and the Senate, with renewed calls for stronger security measures, including the establishment of state police.

Suspected gunmen on Friday abducted 45 students and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area.

Reacting to the incident, Afenifere described the attack as deeply disturbing and urged South-West governors to take immediate and decisive steps to strengthen security across the region.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi, the organisation said its leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, “was saddened to hear of this unfortunate incident which occurred the same week he marked his 100th year on earth”.

Fasoranti sympathised with the victims and their families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured during the attack.

The organisation said recent attacks and abductions across the South-West and parts of Kwara State had heightened fears that terrorists were becoming increasingly emboldened in the region.

Ajayi argued that the actions taken so far by South-West governors “do not suggest that they appreciate the enormity of the responsibility they shoulder concerning the security of their land”.

Afenifere also questioned the effectiveness of security initiatives earlier announced by some governors in the region, including the CCTV infrastructure deployed by the Ogun State Government, the surveillance aircraft procured by the Oyo State Government, and other security measures introduced by the Ondo State Government.

“In view of the fact that the primary duty of government is the security and welfare of the people, governments in the South-Western states of Nigeria must prove that they are alive to their constitutionally assigned responsibilities,” the statement read in part.

“Everything must be done to ensure that no area in the region experiences attacks by kidnappers and bandits anymore.”

The group further urged the six South-West governors to prioritise the security of lives and property across the region.

“Every necessary step must be taken to ensure that terrorists do not have a place, not to talk of a foothold, in Yorubaland — from Lagos up to Kogi, including Edo and Delta states,” Afenifere stated.

However, the organisation commended the swift visit of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tunji Disu, to the scene of the incident following Friday’s kidnapping, as well as the inauguration of the Police Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU). It expressed optimism that the initiatives would help curb violent crimes, including banditry.

Meanwhile, the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, condemned the abduction and described it as an attack on Nigeria’s future.

Bamidele, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, said the incident underscored the urgent need to accelerate the establishment of state police.

In a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Sunday, the senator called for coordinated and strategic measures to secure schools nationwide and reduce the growing number of out-of-school children across the country.

According to him, the 10th National Assembly is in the final stages of amending the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the creation of state police.

He explained that once the National Assembly concluded its legislative process, the proposal would be transmitted “to the State Houses of Assembly for consideration and scrutiny, which would require a two-thirds approval before the state police could come on stream”.

Bamidele appealed to state governments and legislatures to treat the state police proposal as a matter of strategic national importance rather than subjecting it to partisan or ethno-religious considerations.

Pending the establishment of state police, he urged both federal and state governments to fully implement the Safe School Initiative as an interim measure to address insecurity in educational institutions and tackle the growing number of out-of-school children nationwide.

The Senate leader said the persistent abduction of students and teachers “is a tragic national concern that negates our national development indices. We cannot and must not allow it to continue. At the National Assembly, we will rise against this trend and put an end to it through the instrumentality of legislation”.

“As soon as the National Assembly resumes plenary on June 2, we will perfect all outstanding legislative initiatives that have been introduced to decisively address security challenges in the federation,” he added.

Bamidele further disclosed that another legislative initiative under consideration is the amendment of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, aimed at strengthening the justice system and discouraging violent crimes across the country.

Both Afenifere and the Senate maintained that while the Federal Government bears the constitutional responsibility of protecting citizens, state governments must also deploy available resources effectively to safeguard lives and property.