Tinubu Approves 1,000 Forest Guards for Oyo, Deploys Rescue Team

ABUJA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State and deployed a specialised rescue team to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, said the decision was announced on Sunday, May 31, 2026, during a visit by a high-powered Federal Government delegation to Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire LGA, where pupils and teachers of Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School were abducted on May 15, 2026.

The development comes 16 days after gunmen struck communities in the area and took dozens of schoolchildren and their teachers captive. The Oriire LGA communities sit on the fringes of a forested belt that the abductors have exploited for cover since the attack.

The delegation, led by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, conveyed Tinubu’s concern over the incident and assured residents that efforts were being intensified to ensure the safe return of the victims. According to Onanuga, the delegation also informed community leaders that their request for the establishment of a military base in the area would be forwarded to the president for consideration and approval.

Members of the delegation included the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by Deputy Inspector-General Tunji Disu; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa; and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare.

Tinubu also ordered a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify operations aimed at freeing the abducted pupils and teachers. The President directed that the operation be “intelligence-led and carefully coordinated,” deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to secure the safe return of the victims.

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The 1,000 forest guards approved by the President will be recruited in collaboration with the Oyo State Government as part of immediate measures to strengthen security across the affected communities and surrounding forests.

Addressing residents in both English and Yoruba, Gbajabiamila stressed that the President is determined to deploy all available resources to secure the victims’ release. “Mr. President is deeply troubled by this incident. Whatever it takes, our children and teachers will be brought back home safely. He has issued all necessary directives and is providing every support required by our security agencies to achieve that objective,” Gbajabiamila said.

“Your pain and anxiety are understood. By the grace of God, your children will return safely to your arms,” he added. The Chief of Staff also addressed appeals from parents and community members urging caution in the rescue efforts. “Let me assure you that the operation will be intelligence-led and carefully coordinated, deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to secure the safe return of the victims,” he said.

The delegation also visited the palace of the Soun of Ogbomosoland, HRM Kabiyesi Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, to commiserate with the traditional ruler and his subjects. It also met with Mrs. Mary Oyedokun, the wife of a deceased teacher, and her two children, during which Gbajabiamila conveyed Tinubu’s condolences and assured the family of government support.

During the attack, a mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded. A motorcyclist was also killed, and a security operative died after running into improvised explosive devices planted by the abductors during early rescue attempts.

The National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who was part of the delegation, acknowledged the efforts of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, noting that the governor is handling the situation effectively under difficult circumstances. “We also acknowledge Governor Seyi Makinde. He’s doing well,” Ribadu said. Ribadu disclosed that the President had given approval for the recruitment of forest guards to support security operations in forested areas often used as hideouts by criminal groups.

The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools simultaneously in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire LGA. The attackers, numbering about 12, came on motorcycles and struck at about 9:30 a.m., abducting at least 25 pupils and seven teachers.

The Federal Government continues to work closely with the Oyo State Government to respond to the incident and improve security in vulnerable forest corridors. As of the time of reporting, rescue operations were ongoing, with security agencies working to secure the safe return of all abducted victims.

Tinubu Approves 1,000 Forest Guards for Oyo, Deploys Rescue Team

NLC Rejects N100,000 Minimum Wage, Demands N1m Monthly

ABUJA – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has dismissed suggestions that a new national minimum wage of N100,000 would adequately address workers’ challenges, insisting that employees require significantly higher earnings to cope with prevailing economic realities.

Speaking on Sunday, the spokesperson for the NLC, Benson Upah, said a monthly wage of N1 million would be more reflective of current economic conditions, citing soaring inflation, rising living costs, and the declining purchasing power of wages. His comments followed remarks by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who disclosed that governors were considering a review of the national minimum wage to N100,000.

AbdulRazaq made the proposal on Friday during a meeting between President Bola Tinubu and state governors held at the President’s residence in Lagos. The Kwara governor, who also serves as NGF Chairman, praised what he described as Tinubu’s “courage” in removing fuel subsidy, saying only a small fraction of political leaders could take such a decisive step. According to the governor, most states were now able to meet salary obligations without resorting to borrowing or bond issuance. “In my own state, when we get the FAAC allocation, after paying salaries, we’re left with N100 or N200 million,” he said. He further disclosed that many states were already paying above the national benchmark, with several implementing a minimum wage of about N100,000. “On the issue of minimum wage, most of the states are paying almost 100,000 naira today and I urge your excellency, let’s all have a discussion on moving the minimum wage to 100,000,” AbdulRazaq told the President.

The governor also stated in a Facebook post on Saturday that the proposal was driven by soaring inflation, the increasing cost of living, and the growing financial pressure on workers across the country. According to him, discussions were ongoing among state governments, the Federal Government, and organised labour to develop a wage structure that would improve workers’ welfare without undermining fiscal stability. “State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said. “We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”

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Responding to the proposal, Upah acknowledged the governors’ move to review workers’ pay as “thoughtful” but maintained that the figure being considered was insufficient. “We consider it thoughtful of the Kwara State governor to propose this, but certainly, N100,000 falls far below the realistic figure,” he said. He attributed the need for a much higher wage to several economic factors, including the depreciation of the naira, persistent inflation, increased electricity tariffs, rising fuel costs, shrinking purchasing power, and the impact of recent tax measures. “Given the realities around the exchange rate, inflation, raised tariffs, the surge in the pump price of petrol and associated costs, the decline in the purchasing power of the average worker, and the effects of the new tax regime on our cost of living, the realistic figure, subject to status quo maintenance, would be N1 million,” he stated.

The labour leader also argued that government revenues had improved considerably and could support enhanced worker remuneration. He pointed to increased allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) as justification for higher wages. “In light of the earnings by governments, this should not be a big issue. Check what is being shared at FAAC. The windfall from the Middle East war has put over N5tn in the treasury. Even though this is temporary, it is nonetheless very good for governments,” he added. Upah further stressed the importance of investing in the workforce, describing workers as the backbone of national development. “Finally, please note that the greatest asset of any nation is its workforce,” he said.

Upah’s reference to the Middle East windfall is supported by recent FAAC data. Nigeria is currently benefiting from the ongoing Middle East energy disruption triggered by the United States-Israel war against the Islamic Republic of Iran. A report released by the Federation Account Allocation Committee revealed that March 2026 revenue surpassed the previous month (February) by N142 billion. FAAC approved N2.036 trillion gross revenue for March 2026, which was higher than February’s N1.894 trillion. As an oil-producing nation, Nigeria is benefiting from the ongoing crisis primarily through a significant windfall in oil revenue, which boosts the funds available for distribution by FAAC. The conflict has pushed global oil prices to surge well above Nigeria’s 2026 budget benchmark of $64.85perbarrel,resultinginhigherexportearnings.Thecrisis,whichstartedinFebruary2026,pushedglobaloilpricesabove\ast \ast$90–$100 per barrel**. The price surge increases the value of every barrel of crude oil exported, directly translating into increased foreign exchange inflows and boosting Nigeria’s external reserves. The total distributable revenue for March 2026 comprised distributable statutory revenue of N1.320 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N515.391 billion, and augmentation of N200 billion.

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While the NLC has proposed N1 million as a realistic wage figure, the union’s leadership has also acknowledged that a high salary is meaningless without a stable naira. In an earlier statement in April 2026, NLC President Joe Ajaero noted that organised labour was more concerned about the value of the naira than nominal wage increases, stressing that rising inflation had continued to erode workers’ purchasing power. “Even if Nigerian workers earn N1 million, it will not be meaningful if the naira has no value. What we are looking for is a currency that can sustain workers and their families at least to the end of the month,” Ajaero had said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria. Ajaero also clarified that the ongoing conversation around a new national minimum wage must follow laid-down procedures, adding that it is governed by law and tied to a specific review cycle. “The minimum wage has not been negotiated yet. It is a process that must follow the law. When it is time, we will commence negotiation ahead of its expiration. It cannot be rushed because of election timelines,” he said. He said the NLC would initiate the process within the stipulated window before the expiration of the current wage structure. Ajaero also called for urgent government intervention to cushion the impact of inflation, noting that the current economic situation had not improved for workers. He said the surge in fuel prices had worsened the hardship, with attendant effects on transportation, food prices, and general cost of living.

The debate over workers’ wages has intensified amid worsening economic conditions following the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira by the Federal Government. In July 2024, the Federal Government approved a new national minimum wage of N70,000 after prolonged negotiations with organised labour, replacing the previous N30,000 minimum wage approved in 2019 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. The law also provides for periodic reviews every three years. However, labour unions have consistently argued that inflation and rising living costs have significantly eroded the value of the wage. Recent increases in electricity tariffs, transportation fares, and food prices have further strengthened calls for a fresh wage review, with labour leaders insisting that salaries should reflect prevailing economic realities.

The NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) had earlier announced in their May Day address that negotiations for a fresh national minimum wage would commence by July 2026, ahead of the expiration of the current agreement next year. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum is yet to formally submit any proposal on a new minimum wage framework to either the Federal Government or organised labour. The emergence of an N100,000 benchmark marks the clearest indication yet that government officials are considering an upward adjustment in workers’ pay, but the wide gap between the governors’ proposal and labour’s demand suggests potentially protracted negotiations ahead. As of the time of reporting, the Federal Government had not issued an official response to either the governors’ proposal or the NLC’s counter-demand of N1 million.

NLC Rejects N100,000 Minimum Wage, Demands N1m Monthly

SERAP Urges UN to Invoke Article 99 Over Nigeria Insecurity

ABUJA – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to urgently invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter, warning that Nigeria’s escalating insecurity—marked by mass abductions, killings, attacks on civilians, mass displacement, and other grave human rights violations—now constitutes a threat to international peace and security that demands the attention of the UN Security Council.

In an open letter dated May 30, 2026, and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the rights organisation said that the scale, persistence, and regional implications of the insecurity and human rights crisis in Nigeria risk aggravating existing threats across West Africa. SERAP explained that Article 99 of the UN Charter is designed precisely for situations in which emerging or ongoing crises require urgent preventive diplomacy, sustained international scrutiny, and coordinated international action. The article provides that the Secretary-General “may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”

According to the organisation, placing Nigeria’s escalating insecurity and grave human rights violations on the Security Council’s formal agenda would strengthen the credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations system in fulfilling its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It would also ensure sustained international attention to attacks on civilians, including abductions, killings, and displacement. SERAP noted that several years of violence and conflicts across multiple states have created appalling human suffering, physical destruction, and collective trauma across Nigeria. The organisation stressed that its appeal is grounded in the preventive mandate of the UN Charter and the urgent need to address a rapidly deteriorating situation in the country.

The rights group argued that the crisis in Nigeria is not merely a domestic law-enforcement issue. Its effects increasingly implicate regional peace and security through the cross-border movement of armed groups and weapons, large-scale displacement, growing instability extending beyond Nigeria’s borders, and weakening human rights protection and rule-of-law institutions. “There is no effective protection of people and communities, with frequent reports of a pattern of large-scale violence across multiple states,” the letter stated.

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Nigeria is facing a grave and worsening security crisis marked by repeated mass abductions of schoolchildren, teachers, women, commuters, and rural residents; attacks on villages and farming communities; killings by armed groups and criminal networks; and widespread displacement. Communities in Oyo, Benue, Borno, and across Nigeria continue to suffer repeated attacks with devastating consequences for civilian life, dignity, and security. The recent abductions of pupils and teachers in Oyo State illustrate the severity of the crisis facing civilian populations.

On or about May 15, 2026, armed men reportedly attacked multiple schools in the Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, including Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School. During the coordinated attacks, at least 25 pupils and seven teachers were abducted. An assistant headmaster was reportedly killed, while another teacher later died in captivity. According to the Oyo State Police Command, the attackers, numbering about 12, came on motorcycles and simultaneously attacked the schools. The incident occurred at about 9:30 a.m. in Yawota and Esiele communities, with the attackers also abducting the principal of one of the schools and taking her vehicle into the forest before abandoning it. Security operatives have since launched a massive manhunt in collaboration with other security agencies, including Amotekun operatives and local vigilantes.

Distressing videos later circulated showing one abducted teacher, the vice principal of Community Grammar School, pleading publicly with President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, and Nigerians to secure the release of the victims. Abductees were reportedly being held in harsh conditions, exposed to extreme weather, and called for urgent dialogue to save their lives. This incident highlights the devastating human consequences of recurring abductions targeting schools, children, and education workers, and underscores the urgent need for strengthened civilian protection, accountability, and prevention measures.

Available information also indicates that gunmen recently abducted secondary school students and other travellers in Benue State while they were travelling to sit university entrance examinations. The Benue State Police Command and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) later clarified that the victims were not UTME candidates but participants in an ongoing police recruitment exercise who were returning to Otukpo at the time of the abduction. Seven suspects were arrested following a joint security operation in Amla Forest and adjoining areas, with some victims rescued.

There are also reports of escalating attacks by non-state armed groups in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central regions. Recent bomb explosions in Maiduguri, Borno State, reportedly killed at least 23 people and injured over 100 others. According to the Borno State Police Command, preliminary investigations revealed that the incidents were carried out by suspected suicide bombers who struck at three locations: the Maiduguri Monday Market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), and the Post Office Flyover area. Witnesses and survivors recounted scenes of chaos and devastation. One survivor, Abacha Mustapha, who sustained neck injuries, described hearing a loud sound before realizing he was bleeding. Another survivor, Mohammed Jubril, said the blast deafened him immediately, and he could no longer hear anything. The Chief Medical Director of UMTH confirmed 25 deaths at the hospital alone, while the police put the death toll at 23 with 108 injured. Following the attacks, President Bola Tinubu ordered service chiefs to relocate to Maiduguri to take charge of the situation.

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These attacks have been accompanied by repeated assaults on military formations, attacks on internally displaced persons’ camps, abductions of women and children, and killings of civilians in rural communities.

In Katsina State, gunmen recently killed at least 10 people, including women and children. However, according to Daily Trust, at least 16 villagers are feared dead following an attack on Kiliya village near Bagagadi in Dutsinma Local Government Area on May 29, 2026. The attack occurred shortly after residents had concluded Juma’at prayers. An eyewitness recounted that after the Friday prayers, villagers were sitting together when two bandits on a motorcycle arrived. People began running, but the bandits opened fire indiscriminately. The witness hid in a house and later emerged to find the lifeless bodies of about 16 people, including relatives. More than 400 people have since sought refuge in Bagagadi village, while many others have relocated to Radda village for safety. Sources indicated the attack may have been a reprisal after two suspected bandits were killed by villagers a few days earlier. In separate incidents, coordinated raids left at least 20 people dead and resulted in abductions of residents. The Nigerian Army had earlier neutralized three suspected terrorists in an ambush operation in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area of Katsina State on May 9, 2026, recovering weapons and motorcycles.

In Adamawa State, another attack reportedly killed at least 29 people. Taken together, these incidents reflect an intensifying security crisis characterised by mass killings, abductions, and sustained attacks on rural communities.

SERAP warned that the situation is rapidly deteriorating into a humanitarian and security crisis with potentially far-reaching consequences for Nigerians as a whole and for peace, security, and stability across the West African subregion. This outcome must be urgently prevented.

Recent statements by United Nations officials have underscored the growing international concern about the worsening insecurity and grave human rights violations in Nigeria. In June 2025, Guterres condemned the killing of people in Benue State and called for those responsible to be found and apprehended. In February 2026, he also condemned a terrorist attack in Kwara State, reaffirmed the solidarity of the United Nations with Nigeria, and stressed the need to bring perpetrators to justice.

In November 2025, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed shock at the surge in mass abductions in Nigeria and urged authorities at all levels to take all lawful measures to halt such attacks, ensure accountability, and secure the safe return of victims.

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The United Nations has also warned that insecurity in Nigeria is generating wider humanitarian and regional consequences. The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria has noted that violence across multiple regions has displaced millions, disrupted livelihoods, and deepened one of the country’s most severe humanitarian crises in recent years. UN agencies have also raised concerns that persistent attacks and instability are worsening food insecurity and increasing pressure on communities within Nigeria and across the wider region.

SERAP argued that these repeated warnings confirm that the crisis is not merely a domestic concern, but one with serious human rights, humanitarian, and regional peace and security implications.

The Secretary-General’s recent invocation of Article 99 in relation to the Gaza crisis reaffirmed the importance of this role in situations involving large-scale human suffering, humanitarian emergency, and risks of wider regional destabilisation. It demonstrated the importance of timely action where national crises have cross-border consequences, including displacement and insecurity.

Under international human rights law, state responsibility extends beyond refraining from direct violations. Nigerian authorities may incur responsibility where they fail to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate, punish, and remedy abuses by non-state actors where risks are known or reasonably foreseeable. The recurring pattern of abductions, attacks, enforced disappearances, killings, and violence across Nigeria demonstrates that these risks are well known, repeatedly documented, and foreseeable. Where such threats persist without adequate preventive protection, effective investigation, or accountability, serious concerns arise under international human rights law, including the UN Charter.

“The continuing insecurity across Nigeria has resulted, and continues to result, in devastating loss of life, destruction of communities, and widespread fear affecting millions. The persistence of these attacks, their humanitarian consequences, and their implications for regional stability require urgent international attention,” the letter stated.

SERAP therefore urged António Guterres to take the following actions: exercise his authority under Article 99 and bring the situation in Nigeria to the attention of the Security Council without delay; encourage regular and public Security Council briefings on insecurity, abductions, and humanitarian consequences in Nigeria; request systematic reporting by relevant UN bodies on attacks, displacement, and humanitarian impacts; call on Nigerian authorities to take urgent measures to prevent attacks, protect civilians, and secure the release of abducted persons; urge prompt, independent, and effective investigations into all incidents and ensure accountability for perpetrators and enablers; publicly call on Nigerian authorities to uphold their human rights obligations and strengthen civilian protection measures; support measures to end impunity and ensure remedies and reparations for victims and affected communities; and encourage the international community to use all available influence to prevent further escalation and protect people’s lives.

As of the time of reporting, neither the United Nations nor the Federal Government had officially responded to SERAP’s request.

SERAP Urges UN to Invoke Article 99 Over Nigeria Insecurity