Traditionalists in Ogun invoke deities for Oyo schoolchildren kidnapping victims, seeking safe release of abducted pupils and teachers
Traditional religious worshippers in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, on 5 June 2026, have performed spiritual rituals and invoked deities calling for the safe release of more than 40 schoolchildren and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, in a powerful Oyo schoolchildren kidnapping invocation effort aimed at securing divine intervention.
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The spiritual exercise was led by Dr Omolara Fashola-MacGregor, wife of the Olu of Orile-Ilawo, Oba Professor Alexander Olusegun MacGregor, alongside other traditional religion adherents who gathered at sacred sites including Olumo Rock.
The worshippers expressed deep grief and outrage over the abduction incident, which reportedly occurred in mid-May and resulted in the death of an assistant headmaster, while several pupils and teachers were taken into captivity by suspected terrorists.
During the rituals, the traditionalists offered prayers, libations, and symbolic rites, appealing to ancestral spirits and deities to intervene and ensure the swift rescue of the victims.
Dr Fashola-MacGregor stated that the spiritual appeal was necessary to complement ongoing security efforts, especially at a time when families and communities continue to endure uncertainty over the fate of the abducted schoolchildren.
She declared that the cries of the victims had reached the heavens, insisting that spiritual forces across Yorubaland must be awakened to act against those responsible for the attack.
The Oyo schoolchildren kidnapping invocation also drew attention to rising insecurity concerns across parts of the Southwest, where public anxiety has increased following repeated abduction incidents.
Members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers and other civil society groups have continued protests in Oyo State and surrounding regions, urging authorities to intensify rescue operations and secure the immediate release of the victims.
The traditionalists said their actions were intended as a spiritual complement to military and security operations currently underway, including forest surveillance efforts by security agencies and newly deployed local guards.
They further warned that criminal activity within forested areas would not go unchallenged, insisting that spiritual measures would continue until the abducted children and teachers are safely returned.
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The gathering concluded with a vow to sustain prayers and rituals across ancestral sites in Ogun and Oyo States until a breakthrough is achieved in the rescue efforts.
