The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has condemned the recent coordinated attacks on schools in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, which resulted in the abduction of schoolchildren, teachers, and school officials.
In a statement released on Monday by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN described the broad-daylight attack as a “national disgrace” and a sign that organized criminal violence is expanding into the South-West. The association expressed deep outrage over armed assault, which terrorized local communities, left innocent people dead, and saw dozens of pupils and educators kidnapped.
Archbishop Okoh warned that the safety of Nigerian classrooms has collapsed, stating it is “intolerable, disgraceful, and utterly unacceptable” that children must fear abduction while trying to learn. CAN also honored the memory of an assistant headmaster and other victims who were killed while attempting to protect the students, demanding that their sacrifice not be in vain and that the perpetrators face immediate prosecution.
CAN noted that Nigerians are “exhausted by condolences without consequences.” The body stressed that failure to put an end to these kidnapping is normalising terror and threatening national stability. The association called on the Federal Government, security agencies, and the Oyo State Government to deploy all available intelligence resources to secure the release of the victims, while urging tighter security around rural areas, and school communities.
