Oyo School Abduction: Lagos Teachers Rally For Safe Return Of Pupils And Colleagues

Teachers under the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Tuesday staged a solidarity rally in Ikeja, Lagos, urging security agencies and government authorities to intensify efforts toward securing the release of pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State.

The peaceful demonstration drew hundreds of teachers who marched through parts of Lagos carrying placards and chanting slogans calling for urgent intervention to rescue the victims.

Videos from the rally showed protesters displaying messages such as “End the religion of fear in our schools” and “Let teachers teach in peace.”

The rally forms part of a nationwide action initiated by the NUT following the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in the Ahoro-Esienle and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State.

The victims were kidnapped on May 15 after armed men attacked three schools, Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School. The incident has triggered widespread concern over the safety of schools, teachers and students across the country.

On Monday, public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State were shut down as teachers complied with a union directive protesting the continued captivity of the abductees. Similar rallies have also taken place in Oyo and Ogun states, where residents, labour groups and civil society organisations called for the immediate release of the victims and stronger action against insecurity.

The NUT National Headquarters, in a circular dated May 29 and signed by its President, Audu Amba, and Secretary, Clinton Ikpitibo, directed all state chapters and the Federal Capital Territory to organise solidarity rallies to draw attention to the growing security challenges affecting schools nationwide.

Speaking ahead of the protests, Amba expressed concern over the prolonged captivity of the victims, noting that seven teachers remain in the custody of their abductors.

“I don’t think any Nigerian is happy with the situation on our hands. Seven of my members are currently in captivity. Enough is enough,” he stated.

He warned that the worsening security situation poses a major threat to education and could undermine teaching and learning across the country.

“If the school environment is not safe, how are we going to teach? How will the children learn? Education is critical, and our schools must be safe for teaching and learning,” he stressed.

Amba also raised concerns about reports that abducted pupils and teachers are being used as shields by their captors, describing the development as deeply troubling.

“We are deeply disturbed by this ugly trend of terrorists using our pupils and students as shields. It is a very dangerous development. Innocent children must not be used in such a manner,” he said.

The Lagos State Chairman of the NUT, Akintoye Hassan, explained that the union deliberately chose not to shut down schools nationwide, arguing that doing so would hand victory to those attempting to disrupt education through violence.

According to him, schools remain open in most states, with Oyo being the exception following the temporary closure ordered after the abductions.

Hassan also warned that insecurity, once largely concentrated in parts of northern Nigeria, is spreading to other regions, including the South-West.

“It started in the North-east, spread to the North-west and North-central, and now it has reached the South-west, which many regard as one of the safest regions in the country,” he said.

The Oyo abduction has attracted widespread condemnation from education stakeholders, civil society organisations and members of the public.

On Sunday, President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, visited the families of the abducted pupils and teachers, assuring them that the Federal Government remains committed to securing their release.

He stated that the President is deeply concerned about the incident and has directed security agencies to deploy all necessary resources to rescue the victims and bring those responsible to justice.

Tuesday’s rally adds to mounting pressure on authorities to secure the release of the abductees and strengthen security measures around schools, particularly in rural communities where attacks on educational institutions have become an increasing concern.