Academics and other related activities are yet to resume at some schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, one week after the rescue of over 40 schoolchildren and their teachers.
Investigations by The PUNCH on Thursday revealed that normal academic activities had resumed in some schools in the locality, including Ahoro-Dada and Ikoyi-Ile, while schools in Pamo, Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle remained under lock and key.
The development comes as eight more victims of the May 15 abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in the local government were discharged by the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital.
With the development, only the pupil diagnosed with congenital heart disease remained on admission.
The PUNCH gathered that the eight schoolchildren and the teacher were handed over to their parents and relations after it was discovered that they were medically fit.
The PUNCH reports that over 40 schoolchildren and their teachers were kidnapped on Friday, May 15, 2026, and were rescued unharmed on Friday, July 10, 2026, by a joint security agency comprising the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Western Security Network, codenamed Amotekun, vigilante group, hunters and others.
The state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, following the abduction, embarked on strike, asking the government to enhance security around schools in the state.
The strike was called off on July 1, following a review of the security situation in the state.
Our correspondent further learnt that students and teachers in other local government areas heeded the directive, except those in some communities in Oriire local government.
Confirming the development to our correspondent, the Elerepamo of Pamo, Oba Ayobami Ogunmakinde, said the abduction trauma was still affecting parents and their children, adding that parents had vowed not to allow their children to return to school until the government provided security.
He noted that residents were still living in fear, as he called on the Federal Government, through the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to upgrade the only existing police post in Pamo to a full-fledged divisional police headquarters.
The monarch said, “Since the incident happened, no child has gone back to school. Parents are afraid.
“We have begged before; maybe I should still beg again, on behalf of my people. I cannot be a traditional ruler on tress, farmlands, houses, or animals.
“The Federal Government, through the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to please, upgrade the only existing police post in this area to a full-fledged divisional police headquarters.
“We have done this several times. We have begged several times; we are again appealing that the government come to our aid.
“There is the saying that youths are leaders of tomorrow, but if these children now lack basic education, how will they be leaders of tomorrow?
“I’m not asking for too much; the only police post should just be upgraded to a full-fledged divisional police office.
“We thank the Federal Government for the two military bases in Ogbomoso generally. But we still need divisional police headquarters to complement each other,” he said.
Also speaking with our correspondent, one of the parents, who simply identified herself as Alhaja Arowolo, said, “Yes, my children are still at home like other children. Though my children were not part of the kidnap victims, seeing them every day gives me joy and their father who is a farmer.”
A teacher under the State Universal Basic Education Board, who did not want her name in print, told our correspondent that, “Actually, I’ve decided not to resume in that school again. I only summoned the courage, and it took the grace of God to follow the instructions of the state NUT when they directed us to go back to the classroom.
“That very day NUT asked us to go back to the classroom, around noon, because I left school at the time when the students refused to come. As I was going home, one man on a motorcycle was shouting I couldn’t see my child on the farm again.
“That alone created panic at that particular time. Our security operatives are honestly trying, but they still need to do more,” she added.
Speaking on the discharged victims, one of the sources at the hospital, who did not want her name in print, said, “The discharge has been gradual based on the medical certification of fitness.
“As of this morning (Thursday), eight pupils and one teacher were being treated at the hospital.
“However, they have all been discharged, except the pupil with congenital heart disease.
“Also, the two pupils who were brought back to the hospital after being discharged before were attended to. As of now, there is only one patient on the admission list.”
On Wednesday, the Chief Medical Director of LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Prof Olawale Olakulehin, had announced that eight schoolchildren and one teacher out of 44 rescued kidnap victims were still on admission in the hospital.
In an interactive session with the newsmen in his office in Ogbomoso, he had said, “One of the pupils who was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect is receiving adequate medical attention.
“We have discharged 35 out of the 44 rescued kidnap victims, including the teachers and the pupils who were on admission in the hospital, having been certified medically fit.”
