A 12-year-old survivor of the recent attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has narrated how pupils escaped through windows after gunmen invaded their school.
The survivor, identified as Aminah, said her teacher allegedly fled immediately after gunshots were heard, leaving the pupils to run for safety.
Aminah spoke with SaharaReporters with the permission of her parents, following the abduction of pupils and teachers during the attacks on schools in the area.
The incident has heightened fears among residents and parents over the safety of schools in parts of Oyo State.
Narrating her experience in Yoruba, Aminah said the attack happened while lessons were ongoing in the classroom.
Aminah said, “We were in the classroom while a teacher was teaching us when we suddenly heard gunshots from outside.
“The teacher was the first to run away, leaving us alone. We all had to jump through the window and run into the bush to save ourselves.”
She said many of the pupils hid in the bush for several hours before coming out later in the day.
Aminah further stated, “We remained in the bush until evening before we started hearing people shouting. That was when all of us began coming out from the places where we had hidden.
“The people who took us home were residents of the communities as well.”
32 Pupils, Teachers Still Missing — Police
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed that 32 pupils, students and teachers abducted during the coordinated attacks in Ahoro-Esiele community were still missing.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluyinka Ayanlade, said those still unaccounted for included seven secondary school students, 18 primary school pupils and seven teachers.
“Seven students, 18 pupils, and seven teachers are still missing,” Ayanlade said.
The affected schools include Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School.
It was earlier reported that the armed men stormed the schools during school hours and abducted pupils, students and teachers, including the principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, Mrs Rachael Alamu.
The attacks have caused panic across several communities in Oyo State, with many parents reportedly withdrawing their children from schools over fears of further attacks.
Residents said the incident had left communities tense, while parents expressed concern over the safety of their children.
Meanwhile, Governor Seyi Makinde said surveillance aircraft acquired by the state government to boost security operations had arrived in Nigeria.
Speaking with journalists in Ibadan, Makinde said the aircraft were currently being assembled at a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) facility in Lagos before deployment.
The governor said, “The surveillance aircraft have arrived in the country.
“As of today, they are at the Nigerian Air Force hangar in Lagos, where they are being assembled.”
Makinde said the aircraft would be used for intelligence gathering and aerial surveillance as part of efforts to tackle kidnapping and violent attacks across the state.