She Thought Business Was Booming’: How Terrorists Secretly Funded a Beans Seller Before Striking Oyo Schools — Senator Reveals Chilling Details

She Thought Business Was Booming’: How Terrorists Secretly Funded a Beans Seller Before Striking Oyo Schools — Senator Reveals Chilling Details

Fresh revelations have emerged about the shocking abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State, with Senator Abdulfatai Buhari disclosing how suspected terrorists allegedly carried out surveillance operations days before the attack while blending into local communities.

The senator, who represents Oyo North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, narrated a disturbing account of how the attackers infiltrated rural communities in Oriire Local Government Area and prepared for their operation unnoticed, using everyday activities to conceal their intentions.

Speaking during an interview on Arise News Prime Time, Buhari revealed that a local food vendor unknowingly became one of the earliest witnesses to the terrorists' presence after experiencing an unusual surge in sales shortly before the attack.

According to him, the woman, who sells beans and bread in one of the affected communities, suddenly began earning amounts far beyond her normal daily income.

“Normally, her take-home income would be around N1,000 or N1,200,” Buhari explained. “But two days before the attack, she was making N10,000, N15,000, and even N20,000 daily.”

The senator said the woman believed her business was simply experiencing an unexpected boom and therefore did not suspect anything unusual.

“She thought there was a market boom. Instead of reporting the strange influx of customers to community leaders, teachers, or the Baale, she assumed it was just a blessing for her business,” he said.

However, after the attack, residents reportedly realized that the individuals purchasing large quantities of food were not ordinary customers but members of the armed group conducting reconnaissance ahead of their operation.

“Those people were carrying out surveillance. When they eventually struck two days later, it became clear why they had been coming around and spending so much money. Information is very vital in security matters,” Buhari added.

The attack occurred on May 15, 2026, when heavily armed men invaded the rural communities of Yawota and Esiele in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

According to Buhari, the attackers first stormed Yawota, where they abducted nine students before moving to nearby Esiele.

“From Yawota to Esiele is about five to eight minutes by road,” he said. “They moved between the communities and targeted students and teachers.”

The senator disclosed that one teacher was shot while attempting to escape through a classroom window during the raid.

“One of the teachers was trying to escape through the window. He was shot,” Buhari stated.

Another victim was reportedly an innocent commercial motorcycle rider who had no connection to the schools.

“He was simply transporting a passenger from Yawota to Esiele. The attackers thought he was pursuing them, and they shot him,” Buhari recounted.

The revelation has further highlighted the indiscriminate nature of the violence, with innocent civilians becoming victims alongside students and education workers.

Buhari noted that many schools in remote communities lack adequate security infrastructure, making them easy targets for criminal groups.

He explained that most rural schools consist of only a handful of classrooms and are located far from security formations.

“In most rural areas, schools are just three or four classrooms in isolated locations. These communities are extremely vulnerable,” he said while emphasizing the importance of the Federal Government's Safe Schools Initiative.

The Oyo abduction occurred on the same day that suspected Boko Haram militants reportedly attacked Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

During that assault, 42 schoolchildren and residents were reportedly abducted, reviving painful memories of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping that drew international attention to Nigeria's security challenges.

The simultaneous attacks in Oyo and Borno have intensified concerns about the safety of schools across the country and raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of existing security measures designed to protect students.

The incidents have sparked outrage among parents, teachers, civil society organizations, and education advocates, many of whom are demanding urgent reforms to prevent schools from becoming recurring targets for armed groups.

Stakeholders have called on federal and state authorities to strengthen intelligence gathering, improve community-based security networks, and increase the deployment of security personnel to vulnerable rural communities.

For many observers, the revelation that terrorists may have spent days openly conducting surveillance while blending into local communities underscores the critical role of community intelligence in preventing attacks.