Public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State remained shut on Monday as teachers complied with a directive from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to begin a nationwide protest over the continued captivity of pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Ahoro-Esienle and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
The protest coincided with demonstrations in Oyo and Ogun states, where residents, labour activists and civil society organisations called for the immediate release of the victims and urged authorities to intensify efforts to address worsening insecurity across the country.
The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, when armed men invaded Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esienle and Yawota communities, taking several pupils and teachers hostage.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation and heightened concerns over the safety of schools nationwide.
Investigations revealed that academic activities were suspended across all 33 local government areas of Oyo State following the NUT directive. Students who had prepared for classes in several parts of Ibadan and other communities were asked to return home after news of the strike spread on Monday morning.
The shutdown recorded full compliance in major areas, including Ogbomoso and the Ibarapa axis.
In Ogbomoso, protesters marched through the streets demanding the immediate rescue of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers. Emotions ran high as a mother whose children were among the victims broke down in tears, pleading with the government and security agencies to secure their release.
Other demonstrators described the prolonged captivity of the victims as heartbreaking, noting that the abducted children and teachers had endured nearly three weeks in harsh conditions.
Teachers participating in the protest said the action was aimed at drawing national attention to the plight of their colleagues and students still in captivity. They appealed to both the Federal and Oyo State governments to take urgent steps to ensure the victims regain their freedom.
Parents also expressed frustration over the prolonged ordeal, with many saying they only became aware of the strike on Monday morning after their children had already prepared for school.
In Ibadan, members of the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society organisations staged a peaceful rally, carrying placards demanding improved security and stronger action against kidnapping. Security personnel were deployed across strategic locations to monitor the demonstration.
Similar protests were held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where residents condemned the rising wave of insecurity and called on the Federal Government to prioritise the rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Speakers at the rally warned that insecurity was affecting businesses, restricting movement and creating fear among citizens. They urged authorities to deploy all necessary resources to secure the victims’ release and restore confidence in public safety.
Meanwhile, teachers across the country are expected to converge on state government secretariats on Tuesday for coordinated solidarity rallies organised by the NUT. The nationwide action follows a directive issued by the union’s national leadership, calling attention to increasing attacks on schools and education workers.
In Lagos, teachers are expected to march from Ikeja Bus Stop to the Alausa Secretariat, while their counterparts in Oyo State will gather at the Nigeria Labour Congress secretariat in Ibadan.
Lagos State NUT Chairman, Akintoye Hassan, explained that the union deliberately avoided a nationwide school shutdown, arguing that closing schools completely would hand victory to those seeking to disrupt education.
He stressed that prolonged closure of public schools would disproportionately affect children from low-income families and widen educational inequalities.
Hassan also warned that insecurity, once largely concentrated in northern regions, had spread to other parts of the country, including the South-West, underscoring the need for a comprehensive national response.
Amid the growing concern, the North East Civil Society Network accused the Federal Government of applying double standards in its handling of school abductions. The group questioned why the kidnapping of 42 pupils in Borno State had not received the same level of attention as the Oyo incident.
Similarly, the Ogbomoso Pivotal Club Lagos condemned the abduction, describing it as another indication of the deteriorating security situation in rural communities and calling for the immediate rescue of the victims.
In a related development, the Northern Christian Youth Professionals commended President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the recruitment of 1,000 Forest Guards for Oyo State but urged the government to ensure swift implementation and extend the initiative to other parts of the country.
As pressure mounts on authorities, teachers, parents and civil society groups continue to demand urgent action to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers and strengthen security around schools nationwide.