The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Tuesday staged a solidarity rally in Ikeja, Lagos, calling on security agencies and the government to secure the release of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State.
Hundreds of teachers marched through parts of the state capital carrying placards and chanting slogans demanding urgent action to rescue the victims.
Videos from the rally showed protesters displaying messages such as “End the religion of fear in our schools” and “Let teachers teach in peace.”
The rally is part of a nationwide action by the NUT following the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Ahoro-Esienle and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The victims were kidnapped on 15 May when armed men attacked three schools, Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the two communities. The incident has sparked outrage across the country and renewed concerns over the safety of schools and education workers.
On Monday, public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State were shut as teachers complied with a union directive to protest the continued captivity of the abductees. Similar demonstrations were also held in Oyo and Ogun states, where residents, civil society groups and labour activists called for the immediate release of the victims and stronger measures to tackle insecurity.
The NUT’s national leadership had, in a circular dated 29 May and signed by its President, Audu Amba, and Secretary, Clinton Ikpitibo, directed state chapters to organise solidarity rallies in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to draw attention to worsening insecurity in schools.
Speaking ahead of the rallies, Mr Amba said the union was increasingly worried about the prolonged captivity of the victims, noting that seven teachers remained in the hands of their abductors.
“I don’t think any Nigerian is happy with the situation on our hands. Seven of my members are currently in captivity. Enough is enough,” he stated.
The NUT president warned that the security situation had become a serious threat to education, stressing that teaching and learning could not thrive in an atmosphere of fear.
“If the school environment is not safe, how are we going to teach? How will the children learn? Education is critical, and our schools must be safe for teaching and learning,” he stressed.
Mr Amba also expressed concern over what he described as a growing trend in which abducted pupils and teachers are allegedly being used as shields by their captors, a situation he noted was complicating rescue efforts.
“We are deeply disturbed by this ugly trend of terrorists using our pupils and students as shields. It is a very dangerous development. Innocent children must not be used in such a manner,” he said.
The Lagos State Chairman of the NUT, Akintoye Hassan, stated the union deliberately chose not to shut down schools nationwide despite the security concerns, arguing that doing so would amount to conceding victory to those seeking to disrupt education through violence.
According to him, schools would remain open in most states except Oyo, where authorities ordered a temporary closure following the abductions.
He warned that insecurity, once largely associated with parts of northern Nigeria, was spreading to other regions, including the South-west.
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“It started in the North-east, spread to the North-west and North-central, and now it has reached the South-west, which many regard as one of the safest regions in the country,” he said.
The Oyo abduction has drawn widespread condemnation from education stakeholders, civil society groups and members of the public.
On Sunday, President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, visited families of the abducted pupils and teachers and assured them that the federal government was committed to securing their release.
He explained that the president was deeply concerned about the incident and had directed security agencies to deploy all available resources to rescue the victims and bring those responsible to justice.
Tuesday’s rally adds to growing pressure on authorities to end the victims’ captivity and strengthen security around schools, particularly in rural communities where attacks on educational institutions have become an increasing source of concern.