Oyo Boils as Teachers Strike, Protesters Demand Freedom for Abducted Pupils

Ibadan, Oyo State – Residents of Oyo State have taken to the streets to demand the immediate release of dozens of school children and teachers who were kidnapped in the Oriire Local Government Area. The development follows a directive from the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) , which ordered all public primary and secondary school teachers across Oyo State to embark on an indefinite strike starting Monday, June 1, 2026. The industrial action comes more than two weeks after heavily armed men launched a coordinated raid on May 15, targeting three schools in the Ogbomoso area: Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, along with Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School in Esiele. The attackers took away 39 students, some as young as two years old, and seven teachers, including Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the principal of Community High School, Esiele. One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly killed during the attack, while a two-year-old child, Christianah Akanbi, remains among those kidnapped. The victims have now been in captivity for over two weeks.

Members of the Take-It-Back Movement, on Monday, stormed the Oyo State Government House, Ibadan, to protest worsening insecurity and the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area. The protesters defied heavy rainfall as they marched through parts of the state capital, demanding urgent action from the state government and security agencies. According to reports, they had earlier converged on Mokola Roundabout before proceeding to the Government House, where they called for improved security across schools, roads and communities in the state. Despite the downpour, the demonstrators said they would not abandon the protest because the lives of abducted pupils, teachers and other residents were at stake. They chanted solidarity songs and carried placards with inscriptions calling on the government to act quickly against kidnapping and violent attacks in the state. Some of the placards read, “Bring Back Our Children,” “Security for all, not for a few,” “End kidnapping in Oyo State now,” “Safer roads and communities now,” and “Protect farmers, traders and students.” The protesters described the march as a civic duty, saying silence in the face of rising insecurity would amount to abandoning affected families. They urged the state government to strengthen security around schools and vulnerable communities, particularly in areas that have recently come under attack. One of the demonstrators, Femi Adeyeye, said the rally was intended to draw urgent attention to the plight of the abducted victims and the broader security challenges facing residents. According to him, kidnappings and violent attacks have become increasingly common, while citizens continue to live in fear.

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Teachers in public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State on Monday began an indefinite strike to protest the kidnap of teachers and pupils. A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who monitored the strike in public schools in Ibadan reports full compliance with the indefinite strike. Some of the schools visited included Anglican Junior Secondary School, Orita-Mefa; St. Patrick Secondary School, Bashorun; St. Louis Grammar School, Mokola; Oba Akinbiyi Model School; and St. Brigid’s School, Mokola. NAN reports that many students who arrived at their schools as early as 7:45 a.m. were turned back and asked to return home. However, an exception was made for candidates sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) . Teachers assigned to invigilation duties were allowed into school premises, and only students taking the examination were permitted access to school grounds. One of the teachers, Mrs Yemisi Alao, told NAN that staff members in her school had been directed not to report for duty in compliance with the union’s directive. “We are all complying in solidarity with the affected teachers, pupils and their families. We pray that the abducted victims will regain their freedom and return home safely,” she said. Another teacher, Mrs Tayo Olutayo, said both students and teachers had been adequately informed ahead of the industrial action. “Only WAEC candidates and teachers involved in the examination process are expected to be in school,” she said. Reports from other parts of the state including Oyo, Ogbomoso, Iseyin, Saki, Eruwa and Igboora in Ibarapa indicate full compliance with the strike by teachers in public primary and secondary schools.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has mobilised its members nationwide for a massive solidarity and advocacy protest in Oyo State over the continued abduction of students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area. NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, in a statement issued on Friday, May 29, 2026, described the prolonged captivity of the victims as “heartbreaking, disturbing and unacceptable,” declaring that Nigerian students would no longer remain silent while innocent pupils and teachers remain in the hands of kidnappers. According to Akinteye, the solidarity movement would include visits to the affected schools – Community High School/Grammar School, Ahoro-Esiele; L.A. Primary School, Ahoro-Esiele; and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School – as well as courtesy visits to the Oyo State Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) . The NANS delegation is also expected to stage a peaceful walk against insecurity in Ibadan. “I write at this critical and defining juncture to invite all NANS structures, sister unions, stakeholders, and leaders to a solidarity movement in Oyo State,” Akinteye stated. “This solidarity movement is premised on the continuous hostage situation involving our students and teachers following the gruesome and inhumane attack in Oriire Local Government Area. It has been two weeks since this cruel and callous act was perpetrated, and it is appalling that till this day, the abducted students and teachers are yet to be rescued. At this critical crossroads, silence is no longer golden; we must act decisively and forthwith.”

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Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has appealed to residents and families of abducted schoolchildren not to organize protests over the incident, saying such actions could make the situation more difficult and encourage the kidnappers. Speaking to residents on Sunday, May 31, 2026, during a thanksgiving service marking the 60th birthday and retirement of the outgoing Head of Service, Mrs. Olubunmi Oni, held at the Christ Apostolic Church, Ibadan, the governor said the security challenge facing the state reflects the growing threat posed by bandits and terrorists operating close to local communities. He noted that the danger is no longer far away, as criminal groups have continued to move closer to areas where people live and work. Makinde urged relatives of the victims and other concerned residents to remain calm while security agencies continue efforts to secure the children’s release. According to him, public demonstrations at this stage may give the kidnappers the attention they seek and could affect ongoing efforts being made to resolve the situation. He said: “I told the people our reality. Our reality is that the bandits, the terrorists, are here within our doorstep. This is not the time for protest. The terrorists and the bandits are not normal people. If they had a reasonable head, they won’t be in the bush doing what they are doing. So if we’re protesting, we’re fueling their ego.” Makinde added that spiritual support was also important in resolving the crisis. “Only God can touch their hearts. We are making every effort to bring back our children and their teachers safely,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu has said no child should be abducted from the safety of a classroom as he expressed concern over the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area. The President, in a statement issued on Monday, said he shared the pain and anxiety of the affected families and assured them that efforts were underway to secure the safe return of the victims. Tinubu disclosed that he had approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in collaboration with the Oyo State Government following the visit of a high-level Federal Government delegation to the Esiele and Yawota communities affected by the incident. He also ordered the deployment of a specialised security unit equipped with advanced rescue capabilities to strengthen ongoing efforts to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers. Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Sunday led a high-powered Federal Government delegation to Ogbomoso and surrounding communities in Oyo State following the abduction. The delegation, which included National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, and Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications Sunday Dare, conveyed President Tinubu’s concern over the May 15 abduction and reassured residents of ongoing efforts to secure the victims’ release. The delegation also informed community leaders that their request for the establishment of a military base in the area would be presented to President Tinubu for consideration. Gbajabiamila assured parents and community members that rescue operations would be intelligence-driven and carefully coordinated to prioritise the safety of the victims.

Key facts from the crisis include the following: the date of the attack was May 15, 2026; the location was Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, targeting Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle; L.A. Primary School, Ahoro-Esinle; and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School; the number abducted was 46 people comprising 39 students and 7 teachers; casualties included one teacher, Michael Oyedokun, killed, with two persons killed overall; the youngest victim is two-year-old Christianah Akanbi; the NUT strike began on June 1, 2026, as an indefinite strike with full compliance across Oyo State, while WAEC candidates were exempted; hundreds of protesters marched in Ibadan and stormed the Government House despite rainfall, while NANS mobilised nationwide; the government response includes the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards, deployment of a specialised security unit, a high-level delegation visit to Ogbomoso, and consideration of a military base in the area; and President Tinubu stated that no child should be abducted from a classroom and assured families of ongoing rescue efforts.

Oyo Boils as Teachers Strike, Protesters Demand Freedom for Abducted Pupils