Negotiate With Kidnappers, Don’t Use Force — Abducted Oyo Principal Begs Tinubu, Makinde

The abducted principal of Community Grammar School, Esiele, Alamu Folawe, has made a desperate appeal from captivity to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, urging authorities to negotiate with her abductors rather than use force.

In a video shared on Friday, the distressed principal said she and other victims, including schoolchildren, had spent 13 days in the bush since their abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

“We are in the cold, we are under the sun, we are under the rain… please, we are begging you, don’t let them waste our lives,” she said.

She warned that forceful rescue attempts could endanger lives, claiming that one of the abductees had already been targeted after an earlier intervention.

“The force that they used yesterday has cost us so much… someone among us has been picked and they are going to kill him,” she said.

Alamu urged authorities to pursue dialogue, insisting negotiation was the only viable path to securing their release.

“We don’t need force… all they have to do is to negotiate with them and release us,” she added.

The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, when gunmen attacked multiple schools in Oyo State, including Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, Alawusa.

During the attacks, a teacher was killed, alongside a motorcyclist, while a security operative died after encountering improvised explosive devices during early rescue operations.

Security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force and the military, have since intensified rescue efforts, with reports indicating contact has been established with the abductors.

Authorities in Oyo State have also assured families that ongoing operations are focused on securing the safe return of the victims.