More than a month after dozens of students and school workers were abducted by gunmen in Oyo State, families of the victims remain trapped in anguish, uncertainty, and fear as efforts to secure their release continue.

In Yawota, a rural community on the outskirts of the Old Oyo National Park, sisters Deborah Oyedele and Abosede Ojedele struggle daily with the emotional burden of having their children held captive. Oyedele’s son and Ojedele’s two sons were among 46 children and staff members abducted during coordinated attacks on schools in Yawota and neighbouring Ahoro-Esinele on May 15.

The victims, aged between two and 16 years, were taken by armed men who reportedly stormed the communities on motorcycles and dressed in military-style uniforms. Four witnesses, including a local hunter who participated in an attempted rescue operation, said the attackers overwhelmed the communities before disappearing into the vast forest reserve.

The incident has shocked many Nigerians, particularly because southwestern Nigeria has historically been regarded as one of the country’s safer regions compared to areas battling long-standing insurgency and banditry.

The kidnappings sparked widespread outrage, leading to protests across Oyo State and a teachers’ strike. The incident also attracted national and international attention, with Nigerian music stars Tiwa Savage and Davido publicly demanding the safe return of the victims during a World Cup Countdown Concert in Los Angeles.

Speaking about the ordeal, Abosede Ojedele said her three-year-old daughter, Hannah, continues to ask about her missing brothers and cousin.

“Hannah has been asking for her brothers and cousin. She does not understand why she has not been seeing them,” she said.

The tragedy has left many parents questioning the safety of schools in the area. Ojedele said she no longer intends to send her children back to school in the community once they are released.

“There will be no more schooling for them here. No parent would willingly send a child to a school where bandits have kidnapped students,” she said.

The abduction has also brought regret for family members who encouraged loved ones to work in the affected communities. Funmilayo Ojo, grandmother to some of the abducted children, said she had advised her daughter-in-law, Mary Akanbi, to relocate to Yawota for a teaching position. Akanbi and her two-year-old child were among those kidnapped during the attack on Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.

Security experts have long warned that criminal and extremist groups exploit remote forest reserves and national parks across Nigeria due to limited government presence. The Old Oyo forest reserve, which stretches across Oyo and Kwara states, has increasingly become a source of concern following the latest attack.

Before the abduction, neither Yawota nor Ahoro-Esinele had a permanent security presence. Authorities have since deployed military personnel to one of the affected schools, but many residents say fear still dominates daily life.

Businesses remain closed, several families have relocated, and community activities have slowed significantly as residents grapple with the aftermath of the incident.

Local leaders have also raised concerns about poor telecommunications coverage in the area, arguing that the communications blackout may have aided the kidnappers’ operations and complicated rescue efforts.

A local hunter, Waliu Aje, recounted how a joint rescue team made up of soldiers, operatives of the Amotekun Corps, and local hunters pursued the kidnappers into the forest. According to him, the team travelled for hours before engaging the abductors in a gun battle that lasted approximately two hours.

Authorities say efforts to rescue the victims are ongoing. Deputy Inspector General of Police Fayoade Adegoke assured families that security agencies remain committed to securing the safe return of the abducted children and school staff.

The attack has intensified fears that extremist groups may be expanding their operations into southwestern Nigeria, posing a new security challenge for both Oyo State and the Federal Government.

The National Union of Teachers in Oyo State has maintained its strike action, insisting that adequate security measures must be put in place before teachers return to classrooms. Union leaders are currently discussing proposals that include perimeter fencing, improved security infrastructure, and enhanced protection for schools located in vulnerable rural communities.

For many residents, however, the most urgent priority remains the safe return of the children and teachers who have now spent more than a month in captivity.

As families continue to wait anxiously for good news, the incident has reignited national concerns about school safety, rural security, and the growing threat posed by armed groups across Nigeria.