Why Oyo lawmakers are drawing a hard line against negotiating with bandits

When bandits stormed schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15 — killing a teacher, a student and an okada rider while abducting dozens of pupils and teachers — many devastated families understandably wanted the government to do whatever it takes to bring their loved ones home. Some even called for direct negotiations with the kidnappers.

Oyo State’s House of Assembly has a firm, unequivocal answer to that: no.

Meeting in plenary on Wednesday after returning from the Eid-el-Kabir recess, lawmakers unanimously rejected any suggestion of negotiating with the bandits behind the Ahoro-Esiele attack, according to PUNCH. The motion, moved by Oriire constituency lawmaker Johnson Ogundele, set the tone for a robust debate that made one thing crystal clear — appeasement is off the table.

Speaker Adebo Ogundoyin explained the reasoning bluntly. Entering talks with terrorists, he warned, “could embolden criminal elements and encourage further attacks.” Pay the ransom once, negotiate once, and you’ve essentially advertised that kidnapping works in Oyo State. That’s a line the Assembly refuses to cross.

The numbers make the concern understandable. Oriire has suffered escalating bandit activity since January, including a deadly attack on a National Park Service office where five forest guards were killed. This isn’t a one-off incident — it’s a pattern.

Instead of negotiations, lawmakers are pushing for action: a permanent military base in Oriire LGA, security audits of schools near forests, solar-powered lights, CCTV cameras, perimeter fencing, and a Safe School Emergency Response Protocol statewide.

Majority Leader Sanjo Adedoyin used the debate to press the Federal Government on state police, noting that security forces currently depend heavily on the Amotekun Corps just to navigate the forests where criminals operate.

The Assembly’s message is consistent — rescue operations must intensify, but criminal networks will not be rewarded.