National News – Widespread protests broke out in Oyo and Ogun states on Monday following the abduction of dozens of teachers and students in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) announced a nationwide solidarity protest scheduled for today.
Academic activities were disrupted across public schools in Oyo State after teachers complied with a directive from the NUT national leadership to embark on a peaceful protest demanding the release of the abducted victims.
Public schools across Ibadan and other parts of the state remained shut, with students turned back from school premises. Only Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) students sitting for terminal examinations were reportedly allowed access to classrooms.
The protest follows the kidnapping of 47 teachers and students from public and private schools in Ahoro Esiele Community, Oriire Local Government Area, who have remained in captivity for more than two weeks.
Teachers described the action as a demonstration of solidarity with the victims and their families, urging both the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to intensify rescue efforts.
Civil society organisations and residents joined the protest, calling for stronger security measures to protect schools from criminal attacks.
Ogun Residents Demand Action
In neighbouring Ogun State, residents staged a peaceful demonstration in Abeokuta to protest rising insecurity and demand the immediate release of the abducted teachers and students.
The protesters, including youths, business owners, nursing mothers and civil society advocates, carried placards calling on government authorities to tackle kidnapping, terrorism and banditry.
Speaking during the protest, cleric Juwon Owolabi said Nigerians were increasingly living in fear due to worsening insecurity and urged the government to take decisive action to restore public confidence.
Several participants expressed concern over the safety of schoolchildren and called for improved security around educational institutions and vulnerable communities.
NUT Announces Nationwide Protest
NUT National President, Audu Titus Amba, said the union would embark on a nationwide solidarity protest to draw attention to the plight of abducted teachers and students.
Amba lamented the growing insecurity facing schools and described reports that abducted pupils and students were being used as human shields by terrorists as disturbing.
He urged government authorities, community leaders and security agencies to work together to ensure the safety of schools and secure the immediate release of all victims.
Muslim Congress Calls for Decisive Action
The Muslim Congress (TMC) also condemned the abduction and called on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue the victims.
In a statement by its President, AbdulWasi’i Bangbala, the organisation warned that the country’s worsening wave of kidnappings and attacks on schools had become a major national security concern requiring sustained and comprehensive intervention.
Borno Residents Decry Federal Response
Meanwhile, residents and civil society groups in Borno State criticised what they described as the Federal Government’s inadequate response to the abduction of 42 primary and junior secondary school students in Mussa community, Askira Uba Local Government Area.
They argued that while authorities responded swiftly to the Oyo incident, similar attention had not been given to the Borno abduction.
Civil society leaders and community representatives called for equal treatment of all victims of insecurity across the country and urged the government to intensify rescue operations and provide regular updates to affected families.
The incidents have renewed concerns over the safety of schools nationwide, with stakeholders calling for urgent measures to prevent further attacks on educational institutions and ensure the protection of students and teachers.
