Churches Running Out Of Patience, Nigerian Baptist Convention Reacts To Oriire School Attack

Church leaders condemned Oyo school abduction, noting 46 victims including children and teachers. They urged urgent security reforms, state police, stronger coordination, and prayers for safe rescue of captives.

The Nigerian Baptist Convention has condemned the abduction of teachers and students in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing the incident as a painful reminder of Nigeria’s worsening insecurity crisis affecting schools, churches, and rural communities.

Speaking in Ibadan, the Convention President, Israel Adelani Akanji, said Nigerians and the Christian community are “running out of patience” as violent attacks, kidnappings, and killings continue across the country without decisive resolution.

He expressed deep concern over the condition of abducted victims, including schoolchildren, teachers, and a toddler, who were reportedly being held in harsh bush environments without shelter, food, or medical care. He described their situation as inhumane and distressing for families and the Church.

The Convention confirmed that 46 people were abducted in the attack, including 7 teachers and 39 students drawn from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School. Among the victims was a two-year-old child identified as Christianah Akanbi. The attackers were also said to have carted away four motorcycles belonging to residents and school property during the raid.

Akanji said the incident reflects a recurring pattern of attacks targeting educational institutions and religious communities, recalling the 2021 abduction of 120 students and a matron from Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State as a painful precedent.

He lamented that despite repeated appeals from religious leaders, civil society, and affected communities, insecurity has continued to worsen, leaving many families traumatized and communities vulnerable to armed groups operating with little resistance.