LAGOS -- The Federal Government and governors yesterday came under intense pressure to immediately secure the release of teachers, pupils and students abducted by terrorists in Oyo and Borno states.
Recall that on May 15, 2026, over 40 teachers, pupils and students of Baptist Nursery and Primary School (Yawota); Community Grammar School (Esiele), and L.A. Primary School in Ogbomoso and Oriire communities of Oyo State were kidnapped by terrorists, while 42 schoolchildren were also abducted on the same day from Mussa Ward in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The kidnap of the school children, students and their teachers sparked nationwide protest yesterday from the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, and National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS.
From Lagos to Oyo, Ogun, Plateau, Kaduna and other states of the federation, principals, teachers and CSOs hit the streets in peaceful protests, calling on the federal and state governments to secure the immediate release of those abducted.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
Pressure also came from the House of Representatives, which called on government to secure release of the victims who had been held captive for over two weeks.
NLC, NUT, CSOs hold protests in Ogun, demand release of Oyo teachers, students
In Ogun State, members of the NLC, Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, civil society organisations and other labour groups joined the nationwide protest against the abduction of teachers and students in Oyo and Borno states, demanding their immediate and unconditional release.
The demonstrators, who marched through major streets in Abeokuta, carried placards with inscriptions such as "Set our teachers and pupils free from captivity," "Release our teachers and learners unconditionally," "Stop attacks on schools," "Government should rise up to its security responsibilities," and "One abducted child, one nation in chains."
The protesters also sang solidarity songs and used megaphones to draw public attention to what they described as the growing insecurity threatening the education sector.
Addressing journalists during the protest, National Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, Mr. Yinka Folarin, urged security agencies to intensify efforts toward rescuing the victims and tackling insecurity across the country.
According to him, the protest is aimed at drawing attention to the plight of the abductees and mobilising citizens to join the fight against terrorism and violence.
Also speaking, National President of the NUT, Mr. Titus Amba, represented by the union's National Vice-President, Titilope Adebanjo, lamented that insecurity has created fear among both teachers and students.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to treat the matter as a national emergency and ensure immediate release of those in captivity.
"Education remains one of the few enduring legacies we have as a nation, but insecurity is threatening to destroy it. Teachers are now in classrooms with fear, and students are learning under fear. This is not how education should be," he said.
Ogun State Chairman of NLC, Hameed Benco, described the protest as a warning to the government, noting that organised labour might consider stronger actions if the abductees were not rescued promptly.
Teachers, CSOs protest in Abuja as Wike assures of efforts to free victims
In the Federal Capital Territory FCT minister, teachers and civil society organisations also stormed the streets in protest against the school children's abduction.
The protesters, who sang solidarity songs, asked both the federal and state governments to secure the release of the victims.
However, addressing the protesters who stormed his officer, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, assured protesting teachers and civil society organizations that security agencies are actively working to secure release of abducted teachers and students, while warning that he will not tolerate attempts to turn the crisis into a "political football".
"We are all concerned about this security situation. Government is on its toes to ensure that those kidnapped are rescued," he told the protesters.
The minister said he retains full confidence in the country's security institutions to deliver the victims safely.
"I have that confidence that the security system will do all it can to make sure the teachers and the students that are being kidnapped are rescued, and let it be prompt," Wike said.
Nationwide shutdown of schools looms over insecurity, Kwara NUT warns
In Kwara State, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, warned that schools across the country could face shutdown if governments fail to address the worsening insecurity threatening teachers and students across the country.
The warning came as members of the union joined a nationwide solidarity rally in Ilorin over the abduction of students and teachers from three schools in Oyo and Borno states.
Carrying placards with inscriptions such as "From Chibok to Oriire: Our children are still crying," "We say no to attacks on schools," "A nation that cannot protect its schools has no future," and "Stop the killing and maiming of teachers in Nigeria," the protesters demanded urgent action to secure the release of the victims and protect schools nationwide.
Speaking with journalists, the Deputy Secretary-General of the union in Kwara State, Mike Modesty, said fear has taken over schools and communities across the country.
"One teacher has already been killed while others remain in captivity. We are hearing talks about negotiation, negotiate what? The lives of our children and teachers?" Modesty queried.
He lamented that attacks on schools were becoming more frequent, warning that criminal groups were deliberately targeting education.
Lagos NUT demands release of school children, others
In Lagos, NUT members also held a peaceful protest at the Lagos State House of Assembly, demanding release of abducted children and other people in captivity of terrorists and kidnappers, giving the Federal Government a one week ultimatum to take decisive action against insecurity.
The protesting teachers, led by the Lagos State NUT Chairman,Mr. Akintoye Mujeeb, marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly and Government House, expressing outrage over continued attacks on innocent citizens, including students and teachers.
Addressing the protesters, Mujeeb declared that teachers can no longer remain silent in the face of growing insecurity.
"Enough is enough. How many people will these bandits continue to kill? They have been killing us, and now we are saying enough is enough," he said.
Responding, speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, commended the teachers for conducting themselves peacefully and lawfully.
He praised the protesters for presenting their grievances without violence or disruption of public order and also commended security personnel for maintaining peace during the demonstration.
"We are all concerned about the situation, particularly the incident that occurred in your state. I commend you for refusing to fold your arms and remain silent while these events are taking place," he said.
Teachers, NANS protest in Oyo
In Oyo State, teachers and National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, also took to the streets in protest, pleading with the governments to rescue their collegaues and the school children in captivity.
The protesters were at Government House to plead with Governor Seyi Makinde to ensure safe return of their colleagues and the school children still in captivity, over two weeks after.
Oyo State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Fatai Hassan, told the governor that teachers across the state are living in fear, following the attack which reportedly involved four schools and left one teacher dead.
"We are here for no other purpose but to sympathise with ourselves on this dastardly incident that occurred on the 15th of May," he said.
According to him, "a public primary school, a public secondary school, a private secondary school and a private primary school were attacked by terrorists."
He disclosed that "39 students and seven teachers were taken away to yet unknown destinations," while "a comrade teacher, Comrade Joel Adesanya, was gunned down immediately."
"We are here to charge His Excellency, the Governor of Oyo State, to please do more in fast-tracking the quick release of these people in captivity.
"Teachers are now living in palpable fears. We cannot attend classes with our open minds anymore. We want our people to be freed as soon as possible."
Also speaking, Oyo State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Kayode Martins, warned that insecurity has become a nationwide threat transcending any profession or social class.
"Beyond being a worker, I want to talk as a citizen of this country. Teachers and pupils were kidnapped. Don't let that give you the thought that teachers and pupils are the targets. Every Nigerian today is a target," Martins said.
He painted a grim picture of the country's security situation, lamenting that "either you are in khaki, you are a security officer, or you are a political office-holder, in Nigeria today no life is safe."
Leading the students' delegation, NANS President, Babatunde Akinteye, said students across the country had mobilised in solidarity with the abducted pupils and teachers.
He described the abductors as "enemies of the nation" and called for collective action to defeat terrorism and criminality.
"These are people who should not be called human beings. These are monsters. We must do everything to ensure the end of this terror that has invaded our country comes," he stated.
Makinde vows safe return of abducted teachers, pupils
Responding, Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, declared that the abduction of pupils and teachers represented a moment of national distress requiring unity, rather than political recriminations, assuring Nigerians that every available security resource is being deployed to secure the safe return of those held captive.
Speaking at the Governor's Office in Ibadan, while receiving the protesters, Makinde said ongoing rescue efforts have received support from all levels of government and security agencies.
"This is a time of national distress; it is not the time to trade blames. It is not the time to play politics," the governor declared.
In an emotional reflection on his personal connection to the teaching profession, Makinde revealed that his late father taught in a community located less than 15 kilometres from where the attack occurred.
"I am personally distressed. My father was a primary school teacher. He taught at Awole Dada, less than 15 kilometres away from where this incident happened. My father was there in 1959 and 1960. If something like this had happened to him, maybe I wouldn't even have been born," he said.
The governor insisted that the tragedy should not become a platform for political finger-pointing, stressing that the challenge of insecurity requires a united response.
"This is not the time for us to say it is the President that should have handled this, or it is the Governor, or the local government. This is a time to pool together as one," he said.
Makinde warned against actions capable of emboldening criminal elements, adding "we shouldn't provide oxygen to the people that want to see us divided. The response at this time should be to pull together and allow the government to see this through."
Establishment of military base in Oyo communities receiving urgent consideration -- Tinubu
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu assured yesterday that request for a military base by Oyo communities attacked by terrorists is receiving urgent consideration.
Tinubu, who disclosed this in his post on X, said: "At my direction, following the visit of a high-level federal government delegation that I sent to Esiele and Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, I have approved the recruitment of forest guards in collaboration with Oyo State government.
"I have also directed the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts to secure safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers.
"The communities' request for the establishment of a military base in the area is receiving urgent consideration. I share in the pain and anxiety of the affected families. No child should be taken from the safety of a classroom. No parent should have to go through this anguish.
Parents reject rice, cash, demand release of Oyo kidnapped children
In a related development, families of pupils and teachers abducted by bandits in Oyo State have rejected rice and cash brought by government officials, insisting that their priority is the safe return of their loved ones, a community leader has revealed.
The Baale of Yawota, Emmanuel Alade, recounted the community's reaction in an interview.
According to him, government representatives who visited the affected communities to sympathise with residents were turned away when they offered relief materials and money.
"When the government officials came, they came with rice and money, but the parents rejected it. The women who are government officials on Governor Seyi Makinde's team came to console us. They brought rice and money, but the parents said they did not want it. They said what they wanted was for their children to be released," he said.
Alade also recounted how the attack unfolded, saying he saw unfamiliar individuals pass through the area shortly before gunshots rang out across the community.
"On the day the incident happened, I was sitting here when I saw them pass by, but I did not know them. Not long after, we started hearing gunshots. People said bandits had entered the community and everyone ran away," he said.
Reps seek urgent rescue of abducted Oyo, Borno schoolchildren
In its reaction to the abduction incidents yesterday, the House of Representatives called on the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently secure release of the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
It also renewed demands for far-reaching reforms of Nigeria's security architecture, including establishment of state police and specialised security measures for schools, while also calling on governments to secure the release of 42 students kidnapped in Borno State.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, who drew attention to the worsening insecurity in Ogbomoso and Oriire communities and the tragic abduction of over 30 pupils and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School (Yawota), Community Grammar School (Esiele), and L.A. Primary School on May 16, 2025.
The lawmaker also lamented the killing of a Mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, who was reportedly murdered while in captivity, describing the incident as a shocking tragedy that underscored the need for decisive action against kidnappers and terrorists.
Presenting the motion, Alao-Akala said residents of the affected communities had been living in constant fear since attacks linked to criminal elements operating around the Old Oyo National Park intensified.
He acknowledged efforts by security agencies and the Federal Government, including approval of 1,000 forest guards for the area, but stressed that more urgent and sustained measures are needed to prevent further attacks.
The lawmaker warned that the vast forests surrounding the Old Oyo National Park had become safe havens for criminal groups and served as strategic routes for kidnappers and terrorists operating across state borders.
On Borno students' kidnap, the House urged the Federal Government and security agencies to also take immediate and decisive action to secure the release of 42 schoolchildren abducted from Mussa Ward in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State and strengthen security measures around schools across the country. The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance by Midala Balami during plenary.
Moving the motion, Balami expressed deep concern over the reported abduction of the pupils, describing the incident as another painful reminder of the persistent security challenges confronting communities in Borno State and other parts of the country.
Oyo abduction, assault on our collective humanity -- Akpabio
Also yesterday, President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, condemned the abduction of pupils and teachers in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing the incident as "an assault on our collective humanity" and a direct attack on Nigeria's future.
Akpabio, who spoke during plenary as the Senate resumed legislative activities after a three-week recess, said the tragedy had cast a dark shadow over the nation's return to parliamentary business.
The Senate President said the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers was not merely an attack on innocent citizens but a challenge to the conscience of the nation, stressing that no country could afford to watch its children become targets of criminal elements.
"My friends and colleagues, as we resume our work under the mournful shadow of a tragedy that has shaken our nation, the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, this is not merely an attack on innocent citizens. It is an assault on our collective humanity," Akpabio said.
"We mourn because if we cannot protect our children, we are imperilling our future. We mourn because a nation that cannot guarantee the safety of its teachers weakens the very foundation upon which education rests."
According to him, as long as the victims remain in captivity, the nation itself remains burdened by the tragedy.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"We mourn because for as long as those children remain in captivity, our nation remains captive with them," he added.
Pays tribute to victims
Akpabio paid tribute to two educators, Michael Oyedokun and Adesha Adeboe, who reportedly lost their lives in connection with the attack, as well as a child who died during the incident.
He said the Senate shared the grief of the affected families and communities, noting that the tragedy was a collective national loss.
"Their loss is our loss, their sorrow is our sorrow and their pain is our pain," he stated.
While expressing confidence in the ongoing efforts of security agencies to rescue those still being held, Akpabio appealed to Nigerians to remain patient and supportive of ongoing operations.
According to him, security operations involving kidnapped children require caution to avoid endangering the lives of the victims.
"If you move in there to wipe out the terrorists, you may end up wiping out the children. So it might take a while to distinguish the chaff from the grain," he said.
Orders security summit
The Senate President also directed the leadership of the upper chamber to expedite arrangements for a national security summit earlier proposed by lawmakers.
He charged Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, to work towards fixing a date for the summit, which he said would provide an opportunity for lawmakers to contribute ideas aimed at strengthening the country's security architecture.
"I want to employ the Senate Leader to quickly fix a date for us to conclude our security summit", he sasid.
We must now have that summit with a view to submitting our recommendations and what we think can further strengthen the efforts of the security services," Akpabio said.
He called on Nigerians to support every lawful measure designed to improve security, protect schools and communities, and ensure that criminal elements are brought to justice.
"We must stand united, we must stand firm and we must be resolute in finding solutions together," he added.
Warns politicians
Akpabio also cautioned politicians and aspirants against exploiting insecurity and national tragedies for partisan advantage.
According to him, criminals threatening the nation's peace do not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation, religion or ethnicity, making it imperative for all Nigerians to unite against insecurity.
"There is always a temptation to divide, to accuse and to seek advantage from tragedy. Politicians must resist the temptation of cheap publicity.
"Those who kidnap our children, terrorise our communities and murder innocent citizens do not distinguish between party, faith or ethnic group affiliation. The assault is directed against Nigeria itself. Therefore, our response must be equal to the challenge," he said.
Pacifies senators who lost primaries
Meanwhile, Akpabio sought to calm frayed nerves among senators who failed to secure return tickets during the recently concluded party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Congratulating lawmakers who emerged victorious in the primaries across party lines, he acknowledged that the outcome had produced both winners and losers but stressed that democracy remained the ultimate winner.
"I know there will always be victories and disappointments. Yet above every individual triumph stands a greater triumph -- the triumph of democracy itself," he said.
In what appeared to be a reassurance to aggrieved lawmakers, Akpabio disclosed that efforts were ongoing to ensure that affected senators would have "very few disappointments."
"And in this Senate, we are promised that we will have very few disappointments. I do know that the Senate Leader and the leadership of the Senate are working very hard towards that. So, in advance, I congratulate all of us across party lines," he said.
The remarks came against the backdrop of the outcome of the recent party primaries in which about 40 serving senators failed to secure tickets to return to the Senate, while about 60 lawmakers obtained nominations to seek re-election in 2027.
Shortly after his remarks, Akpabio led senators into a closed-door session that lasted about two hours, amid continued consultations over the fallout of the primaries and other legislative matters.
