IBADAN, Oyo State — The Oyo State Government has extended by 24 hours the curfew imposed on 10 local government areas bordering the Old Oyo National Park, following the abduction of 39 students and seven teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026.
Governor Seyi Makinde approved the extension, which was announced on Thursday in a memo issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Musibau Babatunde. The curfew, which runs from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. daily, was initially introduced on June 23, 2026, for 48 hours. With the latest extension, the restriction will now remain in force until Saturday, June 27, 2026.
The affected local government areas are all located within the Oke-Ogun axis of the state, sharing proximity to the Old Oyo National Park. They include Oriire (headquarters: Ikoyi-Ile), Orelope (headquarters: Igboho), Irepo (headquarters: Kisi), Saki West (headquarters: Saki), Saki East (headquarters: Ago-Amodu), Atisbo (headquarters: Tede/Ago-Are), Itesiwaju (headquarters: Otu), Iseyin (headquarters: Iseyin), Olorunsogo (headquarters: Igbeti), and Atiba (headquarters: Offa-Meta, Oyo).
The abduction of the schoolchildren and teachers, which involved attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, in Oriire LGA, has sparked widespread outrage and protests across the state. A teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed during the attack, while another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in captivity.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) subsequently ordered a total shutdown of public schools across Oyo State, demanding adequate security measures before teachers would return to classrooms. Governor Makinde has assured residents that the government is doing everything possible to secure the release of the abducted victims, describing the incident as unprecedented.
The government maintained that the curfew extension forms part of ongoing efforts to address security concerns in the affected areas, while security agencies continue operations within the region. Residents of the affected councils are expected to comply with the curfew regulations.
