The identities of 46 pupils, students and teachers abducted during a deadly attack on two schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State have emerged, as families and community leaders intensify calls for their rescue.
Photographs and names of the victims, released by concerned residents and advocacy groups on Wednesday, have reignited public attention on the tragedy that struck Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.
Key Highlights:
- 46 pupils, students, and teachers were abducted during an attack on Community High School and Yawota Baptist School in Oyo State on May 23, 2025.
- Victims include 7 teachers and 39 pupils, with many children reportedly between ages 3 and 16.
- The identities and photos of the abductees have now been released by community groups to draw public attention and pressure for rescue.
- One abducted teacher, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly killed while in captivity, worsening community grief.
The victims were reportedly kidnapped by armed assailants who invaded the communities on Friday, May 23, 2025, in an attack that left one teacher dead and dozens of children and education workers in captivity.
The release of the victims’ photographs has triggered renewed emotions among relatives, many of whom say they continue to live in fear and uncertainty over the fate of their loved ones.
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Community members say the publication of the names and faces of the abductees is aimed at keeping their plight in the public eye and sustaining pressure on authorities to secure their freedom.
Among those abducted are seven teachers and school administrators identified as: Mrs. Alamu Folawe, Mr. Ojo Jonathan, Mr. Olatunde Zacchaeus, principal, Mr. John Olaleye, vice principal, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, Mrs. Oladeji, and Mrs. Mary Akanbi
Community sources disclosed that one of the abducted teachers, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded while in captivity, a development that has further deepened the grief of affected families.
Residents describe his death as a painful reminder of the dangers faced by the remaining victims and have renewed appeals for urgent intervention.
The released records also contain the names of 39 abducted pupils and students from the affected schools.
They include Emmanuel Ramoni (8); Rashida Abdulsalam; Samuel Jimoh (15); Ahmed Azeez (14); Baraka Oyedele (7); Fatemo Toyib (4); Hassan Abioye (16); Joshua Adeleke (13); Oyedele (4); Testimony Sunday; Christianah Salami (3); Idowu Adewole (3), and Juwon Salami (4).
Others are Sikiru Joseph (8); Soliu Taiwo (4); Ojo Akanbi (21); Lydia Jacob (5); Kehinde Kaosara; Damilare Olohunloluwa; Deborah Oderinde; Sewa Adebowale (5); Waliya Oguntowo (10); Lydia David (10); Aisha Ayanwale (8); Lege Taiwo (12); Balkis Seyi (7); Asa Bello (4); Jomiloju Ndah (8), and Elizabeth Aliyu (7).
Also abducted are Shuaibu Aliyu (10); Hannah Aliyu (5); Ahmed Ogunlola (6); Muiz Abadi (5); Agune Abadi (9); Tosin Stephen (5); Praise Ojo (14); Jacob Gabriel (6), Habidat Gabriel, and Mary Ayanwale.
Many of the victims are children of primary school age, with some as young as three and four years old, heightening concerns about their well-being and safety.
Relatives say every passing day without news of the victims has become increasingly difficult, describing the ordeal as one of the most painful periods in their lives.
“We are not asking for anything extraordinary. We only want our children and teachers back alive,” a distraught parent said during a recent community gathering.
Parents, religious leaders, and community stakeholders have continued to demand stronger action from security agencies, insisting that the victims must not be forgotten.
The affected communities have launched awareness campaigns under the message: “Our Teachers. Our Children. Our Future. They Must All Come Home.”
Residents have also adopted the slogan: “The Safety of Our Children is Non-Negotiable.”
Community leaders in Ahoro-Esinle and neighbouring settlements are calling for increased deployment of security personnel, improved surveillance around schools and stronger measures to prevent future incidents.
Across Oyo State, churches, mosques, community associations, and civil society groups have continued to organise prayers and advocacy campaigns for the safe return of the abducted children and teachers.
Campaign materials released alongside the victims’ photographs carry a simple but powerful message: “Their Dreams Must Not Be Silenced. Let Us Unite. Let Us Pray. Let Us Act.”
For the families of the 46 abductees, the emergence of their names and photographs is more than a public appeal; it is a reminder that behind every face is a child, a teacher, a dream, and a future still waiting to come home.
