One of the kidnapped teachers of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Michael Oyedokun, has been killed.
Oyedokun was beheaded in a new video allegedly released by bandits on Sunday.
The video obtained by our correspondent on Telegram on Monday showed that the teacher was gruesomely killed after being tied and forced to speak.
The viral inhumane video has raised fresh concerns over the safety of the remaining victims.
This latest development has thrown the community into mourning as residents, families of the victims and native continue to call on security agencies and the Oyo State Government to intensify rescue operations to secure the release of those still in captivity before being killed.
Confirming the killing of the teacher, Dr Suleimon Olanrewaju, the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, in a statement on Monday, said the governor extended his condolences to the victim’s family and assured his government would explore both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to rescue others in the kidnappers’ den.
He also added that about six suspects related to the kidnapping incident have been arrested.
He equally sympathised with the family members of the tactical team of soldiers, Amotekun Corps and local vigilantes, who lost their lives in the rescue operation.
According to him, the operatives lost their lives when they ran into Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), planted by the abductors.
He stated that the wounded security personnel were responding positively to treatment and that the government would spare no cost in taking care of them.
He appealed to the victims’ relatives, religious bodies and other interested parties to exercise patience, promising that the government will rescue and reunite the victims with their families.
“So, please, there may not be quick fixes, but we will continue to endeavour to push ourselves to the limit to resolve this quickly.
“What we know right now is that seven teachers in all were abducted. And, unfortunately, we got a video this morning that one of the teachers, I understand, the mathematics teacher, was killed by the terrorists,” he stated.
Makinde, however, said the government has achieved some success with the operation, with some individuals already arrested in connection with the situation.
“Well, from the information available from the Commissioner of Police, about six individuals have been arrested within the locality.
“Some of them, we believe, are perhaps informants or people running logistics for the terrorists.
“Also, three individuals of interest have been arrested by another security outfit within the state,” he said.
PUNCH Online reports that the gunmen invaded the school on Friday, May 15, and abducted the principal, alongside other teachers and several students.
The attack, which happened some weeks after a failed kidnap attempt that left one traveler dead along the Ibadan-Ijebu road, has renewed concerns over rising insecurity in parts of Oyo State and across Nigeria.
