“Bring Back Our Children”: Oyo Teachers Protest Mass Abduction of Students, Colleagues in Oriire

Tension spilled onto the streets of Ibadan on Friday as members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State staged a peaceful protest over the abduction of dozens of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.

The protesters, made up of primary and secondary school teachers, marched through parts of the city demanding urgent intervention from security agencies and government authorities following the shocking kidnapping incident that has left families and communities in fear.

The abduction occurred on May 15 when heavily armed kidnappers reportedly stormed Esiele community in Oriire Local Government Area and whisked away more than 40 students and teachers from schools in the area.

Since the attack, anxiety has continued to grow after disturbing videos allegedly released by the kidnappers surfaced online, showing some of the victims being brutalised inside a forest camp.

Nearly three weeks after the mass abduction, frustrated teachers took to the streets carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs as they called for immediate rescue operations.

“Bring back our children” and “No more bandits” echoed through Iwo Road in Ibadan as protesters demanded stronger security around schools across the state.

Many of the teachers expressed anger over what they described as worsening insecurity affecting educational institutions, warning that continued attacks on schools could discourage parents from sending their children to classrooms.

The protest also highlighted growing fears among educators who say teachers and students are becoming increasingly vulnerable targets for kidnappers and criminal gangs operating in different parts of the country.

Some residents who witnessed the demonstration joined the teachers in calling on both the Oyo State Government and federal security agencies to intensify efforts toward securing the release of the abducted victims.

The incident has further renewed concerns over school safety in Nigeria, especially in rural communities where security presence remains weak despite repeated attacks on educational institutions in recent years.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities were yet to announce any breakthrough regarding the rescue of the kidnapped students and teachers.