Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, who represents Oyo North Senatorial District, has disclosed that the gunmen behind the recent abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State allegedly monitored the affected communities before carrying out the attack.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News Prime Time, Buhari said the attackers moved between Yawota and Esiele communities, where they targeted schools and kidnapped several pupils and teachers.
According to the lawmaker, the gunmen first stormed Yawota and abducted nine students before proceeding to Esiele, a neighbouring community located just a few minutes away. He said the attackers later returned to Yawota, where they seized more students and teachers.
Buhari explained that one teacher was shot while trying to escape through a window during the incident. He added that a commercial motorcyclist was also shot after the attackers allegedly mistook him for someone attempting to pursue them.
The senator described the schools as small institutions situated in remote rural areas, making them easy targets for criminal groups.
He further revealed that unusual activities were noticed in one of the communities days before the abduction. According to him, a local food vendor who sold beans and bread recorded an unexpected surge in sales, earning between N10,000 and N20,000 daily compared to her usual income of about N1,000.
Buhari said the woman assumed business was simply booming and did not alert community leaders or school authorities about the unusual development.
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Investigations later suggested that the individuals patronising her business were members of the kidnapping gang allegedly gathering information and studying the area ahead of the operation.
The senator stressed the need for residents to promptly report suspicious activities, noting that timely intelligence could help security agencies prevent similar attacks in the future.
The abduction of students and teachers in Yawota and Esiele has continued to spark concern across the country, with renewed calls for stronger security measures to protect schools and vulnerable rural communities.