Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has revealed that schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped by suspected bandits in Oriire Local Government Area of the state are being kept in the Old Oyo National Park.

Makunde said this Friday while giving an update on the rescue efforts of the kidnapped victims nearly four weeks after their abduction.

The governor said security agencies are making concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the victims, who were whisked away during coordinated attacks on schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communities on May 15, 2026.

He said intelligence reports have it that the abductees are still within the sprawling Old Oyo National Park, which covers about 2,500 square kilometres across 10 local government areas in Oyo State.

Makinde pointed out that the vast and difficult terrain of the park has created operational challenges for security personnel, requiring careful planning, coordination and sustained efforts to achieve a successful rescue mission.

The governor however assured residents that every credible lead is being pursued and all lawful measures are being deployed to ensure the victims are rescued unharmed. He also encouraged members of the public to stay alert and report suspicious activities through the state’s toll-free emergency number, 615.

He warned against spreading unverified information, saying that misinformation could hinder ongoing rescue operations, urging residents to continue supporting security agencies with useful information and to keep the abducted students and teachers in their prayers as efforts to secure their freedom continue.

“One thing I can say is that our security reports show that they are still within the wider Old Oyo National Park axis. This is a huge area that spans parts of 10 local government areas in our State and covers some 2,500 square kilometres.

I say this not to dissuade anyone, but to help us grasp the magnitude of the challenge ahead of us. This is not a problem specific to the Oriire Local Government Area.

“It’s an issue that affects all of us. The size and terrain of the area demand patience, coordination and perseverance. That also means vigilance from members of the public remains very important,” he said.

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The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.) has said the fight against terrorism, banditry and insurgency in Nigeria remains difficult because criminal groups enjoy the support of sponsors and some members of the public.

Musa was billed to speak on Friday at The Platform Nigeria 2026 edition, an annual national discourse organised to mark Democracy Day.

The event which was monitored on Channels Television was hosted by The Senior Pastor and Founder, The Covenant Nation, Pastor Poju Oyemade.

The minister, who spoke on the theme, “Governance, Democracy and National Security,” said terrorists and bandits depend on local collaborators for food, water, intelligence, logistics and funding.

He said security agencies could only achieve a lasting solution if citizens refuse and expose those who aid criminal elements.

“The people are everything. If the people are ready and willing to change, then change will happen. “If the people are not willing, nothing will happen,” Musa said.

“Let me tell you, with what is happening with the challenges we have in the country – banditry, insurgency and terrorism – why does it look like it is so difficult to deal with them? And maybe we have people who are also encouraging and supporting these things because the terrorists and bandits are living among the people.

“There are many stories of how people have helped them with food, water and information and these are the things that keep them going. We call it the oxygen. Who is paying for them? Who do they get their info from? And who are the ones providing the logistics that keep them going? It’s still the people.”

“Modern insecurity has made security operations more complex than conventional warfare,” the minister said.

“Today, security threats are often generated by the people who live among us and are part of our communities, unlike state-to-state conflicts where the enemies were easy to spot,” he said.

“Traditionally, conventional warfare was state-to-state, country-to-country. So you know who your enemy is. “The most dangerous thing in a battle or a campaign is when the enemy is inside,” he said.

“The person you are protecting might be the number one enemy who is going to try and take you out as soon as he gets the chance.”

Musa said the success of security agencies in their operations would be limited without the cooperation of the citizens despite the efforts they put in.

“It is very important for us always to remember that the armed forces and the security agencies, whatever they do, if the people are not ready to support them, it makes the task extremely difficult,” he added.

The defence minister urged Nigerians to stay united, saying that terrorists and criminal groups often exploit societal divisions.

“We have to keep working together because it is those spaces that are between us that these people see and try to widen to divide us and we must not let that happen,” said Musa.

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki also spoke at the event and said an independent legislature is key to sustaining democracy and holding government accountable in governance.

A parliament that just rubber stamps executive proposals without due diligence has failed in its constitutional duty, Saraki said.

“A legislature that cannot say no is no legislature. A legislature that only gets executive proposals, rubber stamps them, and goes home has not done its constitutional duty. “It has been a purely ceremonial role,” he said.

He said the independence of the National Assembly should not be viewed as rebellion against the executive but a prerequisite for legitimate governance.

“Independence of National Assembly is not rebellion against the government of the day. “The National Assembly is the very thing that makes government legitimate if it is independent because a mandate that is never tested is a mandate that no body can trust,” Saraki said.

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