Parents Forcefully Withdraw Children From Schools Over Terrorist Attack Rumours

• As Panic grips Oyo Community

BY BONNY AMADI

Following the beheading of a kidnapped school teacher among other 25 students and teachers recently abducted by terrorists who attacked schools in Oyo state, parents have started with- drawing their children from school over heightened fear and rumour of renewed attacks.

Expectedly, panic erupted in a community in Oyo State on Tuesday after frightened parents reportedly stormed a primary school and forcefully withdrew their children over rumours of an ongoing bandit attack in a nearby community.

It was gathered by Westafrica BusinessNews that the incident occurred at Ijeru Baptist Basic School I and III following reports circulating within the area that armed bandits had allegedly invaded communities around the Ajawa axis.

Video and photographs captured chaotic scenes as anxious parents rushed into the school premises, forcing open the gates and hurriedly taking away their children amid fear and confusion.

A community source who witnessed the incident was reported to have disclosed that the panic stemmed from unverified claims linking the nearby violence to suspected bandit activity.

“The parents stormed the school, forced the gate open, and began taking their children away by force,” the source said

According to the source, many parents disregarded repeated assurances from school authorities, who maintained that the situation had nothing to do with a bandit invasion.

“The information they heard was that bandits were around Ajawa, which is not true,” the source added.

The source further explained that teachers at the school attempted to calm the situation after contacting security operatives within the area.

“The teachers came out saying they had contacted the police command within that district that they were told the violence had to do with a fight between Fulani people and the farmers there,” the source said.

The development comes amid heightened tension and fear in parts of Oyo State, following a recent attack and the abduction of teachers and pupils from schools in the Ogbomoso axis.

Meanwhile, it was earlier reported that armed men attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, abducting pupils, students, and teachers, including the principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, Mrs. Rachael Alamu.

Meanwhile, one of the teachers kidnapped alongside Mrs. Alamu, Michael Oyedokun, has been killed.