Oyo State Governor, ’Seyi Makinde, on Saturday, disclosed that the state government is working closely with security agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the school attacked in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
Makinde made the disclosure while speaking at the official launch of the newly established Violent Crime Response Unit and the commissioning of its newly built headquarters in Ibadan.
This medium had earlier reported that gunmen reportedly stormed Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele between 8am – 9am, during which a school principal and unspecified number of students were abducted.
A teacher, in the process of the attack in the school, was also shot.
The Governor, speaking further, explained there were still unanswered questions surrounding the incident, stressing the need for residents and community leaders to improve the flow of information to security operatives in order to prevent future occurrences.
According to him, preliminary findings revealed a communication gap between residents and security agencies, especially in reporting suspicious activities within communities.
He said: “From what we know so far about yesterday’s incident at Orire Local Government Area, there is still a big gap between giving timely information within people in our communities, seeing something and saying it in a timely manner to the security agencies.
“So, I want to use this opportunity to encourage our community leaders, citizens to please be watchful about your environment. When you see any strange movement or any strange behavior, please report it,” the governor said.
Makinde reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening the security architecture of the state through improved collaboration among security agencies, intelligence gathering, and community participation.
The governor noted that the establishment of the Violent Crime Response Unit was part of broader efforts by his administration to combat violent crimes, improve emergency response, and ensure the safety of lives and property across Oyo State.