Senate Condemns Oyo School Abduction, Describes Attack as Assault on Humanity

The Senate has strongly condemned the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, describing the incident as a tragic assault on the nation’s collective humanity and a stark reminder of the country’s worsening security challenges.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, made the remarks on Tuesday during plenary, where lawmakers resumed legislative activities amid growing national concern over the fate of the abducted victims.

Addressing senators, Akpabio described the attack as more than a criminal act, warning that persistent insecurity poses a serious threat to the country’s educational system, social stability and future development.

“We resume our work under the mournful shadow of a tragedy that has shaken our nation. The abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State is not merely an attack on innocent citizens; it is an assault on our collective humanity,” he said.

The Senate President lamented Nigeria’s continued struggle to guarantee the safety of schoolchildren and educators, stressing that no society can thrive when its learning institutions become targets of criminal violence.

Akpabio paid tribute to victims who lost their lives during the incident, including Michael Oyedokun and Adesiyan Adegboye, as well as a child reportedly killed during the attack.

“Their loss is our loss. Their sorrow is our sorrow. Their pain is our pain,” he told lawmakers.

He expressed optimism that security agencies and government authorities would secure the release of those still in captivity and restore them safely to their families.

Following his remarks, senators observed a minute’s silence in honour of the deceased victims.

Akpabio also directed Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, to fix a date for a proposed national security summit aimed at generating solutions to the country’s escalating security concerns.

The Senate’s intervention comes amid nationwide outrage over the May 15 abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, an incident that triggered protests and industrial action by teachers in the state.

The Senate President stressed that addressing insecurity requires urgent and coordinated action, noting that attacks on schools represent an attack on the nation’s future and must be treated as a national emergency.