The Oyo State Government has opened a fresh phase of its investigation into the mass abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area, inviting members of the public to submit memoranda to the judicial panel probing the incident.
The government said submissions should contain relevant information about the abduction in Esinele and Yawota, as well as the security response before, during and after the attack.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, August 14, 2026.
The development gives residents, families, community leaders and others with information about the incident an opportunity to place evidence before the commission as it works to establish what happened and examine the response of security agencies.
The panel is asking contributors to provide their full names and contact details, alongside supporting documents where available.
Memoranda can be submitted physically at the Conference Room, Office of the Head of Service, State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
The government also provided an electronic channel for submissions through oysjceoriireabduction@gmail.com.
The inquiry follows one of the most serious attacks on schools in Nigeria in 2026.
On May 15, armed assailants attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area and abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers.
The affected schools included Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community High School in Ahoro-Esinele and L.A. Primary School.
The victims spent 56 days in captivity before they were rescued on July 10 in an intelligence-led operation involving multiple security agencies.
The rescue brought relief to the affected families but left major questions over how the attackers were able to raid three schools and keep dozens of children and teachers in captivity for nearly two months.
The questions became more pronounced after Governor Seyi Makinde called for an independent international investigation into the incident.
Makinde said the circumstances surrounding the abduction and its eventual resolution were serious enough to warrant scrutiny beyond Nigeria’s domestic institutions.
The Presidency rejected the proposal, insisting that Nigerian security agencies had already explained the circumstances of the rescue.
The Oyo State House of Assembly, however, backed the governor’s call, arguing that an independent investigation could help identify security lapses and strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
The judicial commission’s latest call for memoranda now offers a domestic avenue for gathering information on the incident.
The panel is seeking information not only about the abduction itself but also about the security situation and response before, during and after the attack.
That could place particular attention on the circumstances that allowed the attackers to reach the schools, move the victims into captivity and remain undetected for an extended period.
The rescue operation itself involved the military, police, intelligence agencies and other security organisations. The Nigerian Army said the operation followed an intelligence-led effort targeting the kidnappers’ network and hideouts around the Old Oyo National Park and other locations.
The incident has also raised wider concerns about the spread of armed groups into parts of southwestern Nigeria and the vulnerability of schools located near forests and difficult-to-secure rural terrain.
For Oyo State, the panel’s work is expected to provide an opportunity to document the events surrounding the attack, assess the security response and identify lessons that could help prevent another mass abduction.
The state government has urged anyone with relevant information to submit it before the August 14 deadline.
