The Oyo State Government has appealed to parents in Oriire Local Government Area to encourage their children to return to school amid continued absenteeism following the abduction of pupils and teachers in the area.

The appeal followed the resumption of the 2026/2027 academic session, with some parents reportedly reluctant to send their children back to schools in affected communities because of lingering security concerns.

The victims, comprising 39 pupils and seven teachers, were abducted from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, on May 15, 2026.

A teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed during the attack, while another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed in captivity.

The abducted pupils and teachers were released on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity.

The state government said it remained committed to strengthening security around schools and providing a safe environment for teaching and learning.

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, had earlier appealed to parents and guardians not to allow the incident to discourage their children from attending school, assuring them of government efforts to protect learners.

The abduction had earlier led to the prolonged closure of public schools in the state, while the Nigeria Union of Teachers suspended its industrial action following engagements with the state government.

Meanwhile, the Elerepamo of Pamo, Ayobami Ogunmakinde, has called on the Federal Government and the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, to upgrade the community’s police post to a full-fledged divisional headquarters.

Ogunmakinde said the measure was necessary to prevent a recurrence of the May 15 attack, noting that Oriire Local Government, comprising about 740 villages, was being served by only one divisional police headquarters.

Five suspects accused by the Department of State Services of involvement in the abduction have also been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges. They pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

The case is ongoing as authorities continue efforts to address security concerns affecting schools and communities in the area.