What should have been an ordinary examination day turned into a nightmare that many families in Oyo State are still struggling to wake up from.
More than two weeks after armed men stormed schools in Ahoro-Esin-Ile, Yawota and Alawusa communities in Oriire Local Government Area, fear continues to hang over the affected communities as parents wait desperately for news about their missing children and teachers.
Among the survivors is Aminat, a young student who narrowly escaped the attack.
Speaking about the horrifying experience, she recalled how gunfire suddenly interrupted an examination session and sent pupils running for their lives.
“We were writing an exam when we heard them shooting. That’s how we ran into the bush. Even our teacher ran away. We haven’t seen him since then,” she said.
The chaos that followed separated families and classmates within minutes.
For Aminat, the shock became even worse when her family later discovered that her elder brother was among those who never returned home.
“Since then I have not seen my elder brother. After searching everywhere and he was nowhere to be found, that’s how we knew he was missing,” she said.
Across the affected communities, abandoned school bags, books and personal belongings remain painful reminders of the attack.
For parents, every passing day without answers deepens the anxiety.
One of them, Mama Muheez, said her eight-year-old son, Abdulraman, was among those taken.
“When they finished eating, they went to school. Before 11 a.m. we heard they had been kidnapped. Since then, I can’t eat and I can’t sleep,” she said.
The mother of six admitted that her remaining children are now terrified of returning to school.
“For now they can’t go back because we are scared. These children are my life.”
The tragedy has also claimed additional lives beyond those abducted.
During rescue efforts, Shuaibu Adigun, a worker with the national park, was killed after reportedly stepping on explosives allegedly planted along routes used by the attackers.
His brother, Michael, described the loss as devastating.
“My brother went to help search for the children. He never came back alive.”
Community leaders say the attack has left deep emotional scars.
The Mogaji of the area, Yekini Abioye, described it as the darkest security incident the community has ever experienced.
“This has never happened here before. We are shattered.”
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has deployed senior security officials to the affected communities and approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State as part of efforts to strengthen security and support rescue operations.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers has also declared an indefinite strike across public schools in Oyo State, insisting that teachers will remain at home until the abducted pupils and their colleagues are safely returned.
For many families, however, government promises and security briefings offer little comfort.
Their focus remains on one thing: bringing the missing children home.