Terrorists Demand Weapons, Money, Law Concessions For Release Of Abducted Schoolchildren — Oyo Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin

The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, has disclosed that the kidnappers holding schoolchildren and teachers abducted from Oriire Local Government Area are demanding weapons, cash payments and concessions on future laws as conditions for their release.

Ogundoyin made the revelation while contributing to discussions on the contentious issue of whether governments should negotiate with kidnappers and terrorist groups to secure the freedom of hostages.

According to the Speaker, the demands made by the abductors extend far beyond the payment of ransom and include requests that could strengthen their operational capacity and potentially influence governance.

Speaking on the matter, he questioned the implications of yielding to such demands.

“To bring these children and teachers back, if it is up to you, will you negotiate with terrorists if terrorists ask for weapons, they ask for money, they ask for concessions on future laws of this land as part of their ransom?” he said.

Ogundoyin further challenged those advocating negotiations to consider the wider consequences of such agreements.

“If you were the governor, will you accept those ransoms? Will you accept that those people should be accepted into that community?” he asked.

The Speaker warned that engaging with armed groups on their terms could have far-reaching security implications, arguing that repeated negotiations may embolden criminal networks and encourage further abductions.

“The more you negotiate with these people, the more you embolden them,” he added.

His remarks come amid growing public concern over the fate of pupils and teachers abducted during attacks on the Esiele and Yawota communities on 15 May. The incident sparked widespread outrage, with families anxiously awaiting the safe return of their loved ones and mounting pressure on security agencies and government authorities to secure their release.

For many affected families, the crisis remains a painful ordeal, as uncertainty continues to surround the whereabouts and wellbeing of the victims nearly three weeks after the abduction.