Yoruba Monarchs Pledge ‘Juju’ Defence After Oyo School Kidnappings

On May 15, gunmen on motorcycles attacked two schools in Oyo State. They abducted 39 pupils and toddlers, along with seven teachers. One teacher and one pupil were killed. The others remain held in the forest. At the grand finale of the 2026 Ifa festival, the Ooni of Ife called the abduction painful and unacceptable. He urged traditional rulers to deploy ancestral powers against bandits and kidnappers. He stressed the need to protect communities while supporting security agencies. Some residents dismissed the idea as outdated against modern weapons. They questioned why ancestral powers were not used earlier when herders and terrorists struck communities. Yoruba monarchs, including the Olojudo of Ido, said spiritual means remain potent. They called on the government to back traditional defenders and argued these ancestral methods once kept Yorubaland safe.

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