Oyo State Withdraws Curfew from 10 Local Governments; Rescue Missions Ongoing

Authorities in Oyo State have announced the removal of the overnight curfew previously enforced across ten local government areas situated near the Old Oyo National Park. This decision comes after intensified security efforts to free students and educators taken captive in Oriire Local Government Area.

The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Dotun Oyelade, confirmed this development in a press release issued on Saturday. He urged residents of the impacted LGAs to resume their daily routines, reiterating the government's commitment that security forces will maintain their operations to eradicate the prevalent kidnapping scourge. Oyelade affirmed, stating, “The government is closely monitoring the security situation, and efforts are ongoing to bring the kidnapping episode to an end.”

The curfew, which originally began on June 24, was set for a 48-hour period, running daily from 4 pm to 8 am across the ten LGAs bordering the Old Oyo National Park, before an additional 24-hour extension was added. This restriction was implemented to bolster ongoing security initiatives targeting kidnappers and other criminal syndicates active in the region. The specific local government areas impacted by this measure include Oriire, Orelope, Irepo, Saki West, Saki East, Atisbo, Itesiwaju, Iseyin, Olorunsogo, and Atiba.

This curfew was a direct response to a May 15 assault on three schools located in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle communities within Oriire Local Government Area. During these coordinated attacks, numerous pupils and teachers were forcibly taken by armed assailants, triggering widespread alarm across the nation regarding the escalating insecurity in the South-West region. Since this incident, the Oyo State government, working alongside the military, police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Amotekun Corps, and various other security outfits, has significantly ramped up its efforts to secure the release of those abducted. State authorities have consistently reassured the populace that retrieving the victims remains their utmost priority, with ongoing security operations dedicated to this objective.