The senator representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Abdulfatai Buhari, has revealed that the 47 schoolchildren abducted by gunmen in Oyo State are being used as human shields, making rescue efforts more challenging for security agencies.
According to the lawmaker, the abductors have strategically positioned the children around themselves to deter security forces from launching a direct assault on their hideouts.
The pupils were reportedly kidnapped from schools in Ogbomoso and Oriire Local Government Areas, an incident that has heightened fears over growing insecurity and the spread of banditry in parts of the South-West region.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, Buhari explained that the operation to rescue the children requires extreme caution because the abductors are constantly on the move and do not remain in a single location.
He stated that the children were taken deep into a dense forest, where the kidnappers have been using them as protective shields against possible attacks by security operatives.
“The abductors have surrounded themselves with the children, effectively using them as human shields. Any direct attack could put the lives of the pupils at serious risk,” the senator said.
Buhari noted that the situation differs from a conventional military operation because the criminals frequently relocate, making it difficult for security agencies to pinpoint their exact location.
The lawmaker further disclosed that the forest believed to be housing the kidnappers stretches across several states, including Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Kebbi, and Sokoto, while also connecting areas near Nigeria’s borders with the Republic of Benin and Niger Republic.
He explained that the vast and thick nature of the forest provides cover for the armed men, complicating surveillance and rescue efforts.
According to him, some of the attackers are believed to be foreign nationals who move freely through the forest corridor and across borders.
Buhari also revealed that a Federal Government delegation recently visited families affected by the attack, including relatives of a victim who was reportedly killed during the abduction.
He said the delegation met with grieving families to offer support and reassure them of ongoing efforts to secure the release of the abducted children.
The senator emphasized that authorities must adopt a carefully planned strategy that prioritizes the safety of the victims, warning that any reckless operation could endanger the lives of the schoolchildren.
The abduction has continued to generate anxiety across communities in Oyo State, particularly within the Ogbomoso axis, where residents have intensified calls for stronger security measures and the swift rescue of the kidnapped pupils.