President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State as part of urgent measures to strengthen security following the recent abduction of students and teachers in the state.
The development was disclosed on Sunday, May 31, during a visit by a high-powered federal government delegation to Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area, where pupils and teachers were abducted from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School on May 15, 2026.
The delegation, led by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, informed community leaders and lawmakers that requests for the establishment of a military base in the area would be forwarded to the President for consideration.
Gbajabiamila also revealed that the President had directed a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.
According to him, the Federal Government is deeply concerned about the incident and is fully committed to ensuring the safe return of the victims.
He assured residents that rescue operations would be intelligence-led and carefully coordinated, combining both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to achieve results.
Community members had also reportedly appealed for caution in the rescue efforts, a concern the delegation said would be taken into account as operations continue.