By Ngozi Nwankwo, Kayode Abdulazeez, Ilorin
Thousands of teachers across Nigeria took to the streets on Tuesday in a coordinated nationwide protest demanding urgent government action following the recent spate of school abductions in Oyo State.
The protest, which began in major cities including Lagos, Abuja, and Ibadan, saw educators calling for stronger security measures to protect students and school staff.
The unrest follows the May 15 abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State.
In Abuja, protesters marched from the Federal Ministry of Education to Area 11, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Release our teachers and learners unconditionally,” “Teachers Deserve Security, Not Fear,” and “End the Reign of Fear in Our Schools.”
Armed men on motorcycles invaded Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele. They killed an assistant headmaster and a motorcyclist before abducting pupils, teachers and school administrators.
National outrage intensified after one of the abducted teachers, mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun, was killed by the kidnappers. The incident triggered fresh calls for protection of schools and learning environments.
Chairman of NUT FCT, Abdullahi Shafa, told protesters the rally followed a directive from the union’s national headquarters for teachers nationwide to show solidarity with victims of attacks on schools.
He said the continued targeting of teachers and students poses a serious threat to education and the country’s future.
Shafa described the killing of a teacher during the Oyo attack as tragic and unacceptable.
“A teacher who dedicated his life to educating children was killed in a most unfortunate manner. It is painful, disturbing, and devastating. Such acts are not good for the education system, the teaching profession or our children,” he said.
In Kwara, the state chapter of the NUT expressed worries over the high level of insecurity in the country, saying teachers, students and parents now live in constant fear due to increasing cases of kidnapping and banditry.
Speaking during a solidarity rally organised by NUT in Ilorin, the deputy secretary of the NUT, Modesty Moni, said that lives of teachers were no longer safe, citing the recent kidnapping and killing of a teacher in Zamfara state despite the payment of ransom by the victim’s family.
According to him, the development raises serious questions about the safety of education in Nigeria and the future of school enrolment, particularly in rural communities.
“Just last week, a teacher was kidnapped in Zamfara and was eventually killed even after ransom was paid. How do we continue like this? There is no safe school anymore,” he said.
The union leader noted that the activities of bandits and other criminal groups appear to align with the long-standing objective of extremist groups that oppose western education.
He warned that persistent attacks on schools could discourage parents from sending their children to school and deepen the nation’s educational crisis.
Moni stressed that tackling insecurity should not be left to the government alone, urging citizens to support efforts aimed at identifying and exposing criminal elements within their communities.
The union leader, who said that no category of citizens is immuned from the insecurity ravaging the country, added that many forests across the country have become safe havens for armed groups, making movement increasingly dangerous for ordinary Nigerians.
In Plateau, teachers called for the immediate rescue of teachers and pupils abducted in Oyo State, describing the incident as a threat to education in Nigeria.
The teachers made the call in Jos as they joined colleagues in protest across the country to demand the safe return of the victims.
Addressing the protesters, Plateau NUT Chairman, Elisha Ayimani, said the growing trend of kidnappings targeting schools and teachers poses a serious danger to teaching and learning.
He urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to secure the release of the abducted teachers and pupils.
Ayimani said the union would down tools until the captives are rescued and reunited with their families.
