Teachers and civil society organisations on Friday staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, demanding immediate government action to secure the release of teachers and pupils abducted in Oriire Local Government Area.
The protesters, who marched through parts of the city, warned that the growing insecurity facing schools across the state posed a serious threat to the safety of teachers and schoolchildren.
The demonstration was organised by the Oyo State Teachers Action Group in collaboration with the Nigeria Teachers Congress (NTC), a non-governmental organisation.
Gunmen abducted the victims on May 15, 2026, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Ogbomoso, sparking outrage among education stakeholders and residents.
Addressing the protesters, the National President of the NTC, Reverend Bunmi Thomas, said the organisation joined the protest in solidarity with the kidnapped teachers, pupils and their families.
Thomas described the protest as lawful and necessary, stressing that the aim was to pressure the government into intensifying rescue efforts.
“When we heard about the proposed protest by the Oyo State Teachers Action Group, we were satisfied and decided to join them because what they are doing is lawful,” he said.
“They are demanding pragmatic action from the government to secure the release of the abducted teachers and students.”
While acknowledging reports that security agencies were making efforts to rescue the victims, Thomas insisted that more decisive actions were required.
“If the government is trying and the desired result has not been achieved, then more efforts must be intensified. We want the government to do more to rescue the teachers and pupils,” he added.
He expressed deep concern over the plight of the abducted children, some of whom he said were as young as two and three years old and exposed to harsh weather conditions while being held in captivity.
“We have children as young as two and three years old in the bush. They are exposed to rain and harsh weather conditions. These victims are in danger, and nobody knows who could be next,” he lamented.
The union leader also called on the Oyo State Government to deploy security personnel to public schools across the state to guarantee the safety of teachers and students.
“We want the government to attach security personnel to all government schools. We cannot continue to work while living in danger,” Thomas stated.
Despite the protest, he clarified that the demonstration was not targeted at Governor Seyi Makinde, whom he commended for his administration’s performance.
“No reasonable teacher in Oyo State is against Governor Seyi Makinde because he has performed excellently well. However, we need regular updates on efforts being made to rescue our teachers and students,” he said.
Responding on behalf of the government, the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security Matters, retired Commissioner of Police Sunday Odukoya, assured the protesters that efforts were ongoing to secure the release of the victims.
Odukoya described the incident as unfortunate but maintained that the state government had remained actively involved since the abduction occurred.
“It is your constitutional right to protest and let the government know your concerns. This incident is unfortunate, but I want to assure you that the government is not folding its arms over the matter,” he said.
He explained that certain operational details could not be made public to avoid jeopardising ongoing rescue operations.
“Since this incident happened, Governor Seyi Makinde has been on top of the situation. I have personally visited the area several times, and both the traditional ruler in Esiele and residents of Yawota can attest to the government’s efforts,” he added.
Odukoya further assured the protesters that no teacher participating in the demonstration would face intimidation or victimisation.
“Governor Seyi Makinde believes strongly in the rule of law. No teacher involved in this protest will be victimised. That has never happened under this administration and it will not happen,” he stated.
Despite the assurances from government officials, the protesters urged authorities to act with greater urgency and compassion to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped teachers and pupils.
“We are not against the government, but we are appealing to its moral conscience. The government must intensify efforts and ensure the safe return of the kidnapped teachers and pupils,” the group said.
