Residents of Esiele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have raised fresh concerns over worsening insecurity in the area, alleging that armed attackers have killed at least three farmers, destroyed farmlands, and continue to operate freely with suspected insider collaboration.
Community leaders and residents made the claims during a visit to the area on Tuesday, saying the attacks have persisted for months and are severely affecting farming activities and livelihoods.
The Baale of Esiele, Alhaji Tajudeen Abioye, said the community has repeatedly come under attack, with farmers often targeted while working on their farmlands. He explained that some of the victims were killed after confronting the attackers during raids on their farms.
According to him, the violence did not begin with the recent school abductions but has been ongoing for a long time with little lasting intervention from security authorities. He also noted that the community’s proximity to forest reserves has made it difficult to secure the area effectively.
Another resident, Mr. Jimoh, said although security personnel have been deployed in response to recent incidents, the presence has been temporary and not sustained enough to restore confidence.
He called for a more permanent security arrangement, warning that short-term deployments do little to address the root of the problem. Jimoh also alleged that the attackers continue to destroy crops, worsening food insecurity and economic hardship in the community.
Some residents further claimed that security operatives who visited the area suggested that informants within the community may be aiding the attackers, a claim that has heightened tension and suspicion among locals.
They urged the government to intensify operations in surrounding forest areas believed to be used as hideouts, stressing that lasting peace will depend on dismantling such bases and improving intelligence gathering.
The concerns come amid ongoing efforts by security agencies to rescue abducted pupils and teachers from nearby communities in the same local government area. According to police authorities, dozens of students and teachers remain unaccounted for following recent coordinated attacks on schools.
The Oyo State Government has also announced that surveillance aircraft acquired to support security operations are currently being assembled for deployment, as part of broader efforts to improve intelligence and aerial monitoring in the state.