Lagos Teachers Protest Oyo School Abductions

Teachers in Lagos State on Tuesday staged a protest to demand the rescue of pupils, students and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, raising concerns over the safety of schools across the country.

The demonstration, organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), followed a directive from the union’s national leadership for simultaneous protests in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory against the increasing cases of kidnappings and attacks targeting schools and education workers.

Hundreds of teachers marched from Ikeja to the Lagos State House of Assembly, carrying placards and banners with messages calling for enhanced security in schools and swift action to rescue the abducted victims.

Addressing the protesters, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudasiru Obasa, described the establishment of state police as a viable solution to Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.

Obasa said the Assembly shared the concerns of the teachers, particularly over the recent abduction in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, stressing that all stakeholders must work together to address insecurity.

“We are all concerned about the situation, particularly the one that happened in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. Here at the Lagos State House of Assembly, we have been doing our best to ensure security. That is why this House has, several times, been at the forefront of state police,” he said.

The Speaker noted that recent comments by President Bola Tinubu on state policing underscored the growing recognition of its importance in tackling security threats.

“Recently, we read about the position of President Bola Tinubu on state police. This further confirms that it is both necessary and important for this country to have state police. It is not about protesting alone; we all need to come together to find lasting solutions,” Obasa added.

He also urged Nigerians to support security agencies by providing useful information and intelligence, stressing that ensuring public safety should not be left solely to government institutions.

Earlier, Lagos State NUT Chairman, Akintoye Hassan, said the protest was not solely in response to the recent abductions in Oyo State but reflected longstanding concerns over repeated attacks on schools and education workers nationwide.

According to him, teachers have continued to face threats and insecurity for years, recalling major incidents such as the Chibok and Dapchi school abductions.

“Our effort is not even about the recent Oyo incident. It dates back to 2014 when we had the Chibok and Dapchi incidents. Teachers of Nigeria not only teach knowledge; we teach values. Part of the values we teach are resilience, endurance and tolerance,” Hassan said.

He called on Nigerians to stop politicising insecurity and instead treat it as a national challenge that affects every sector of society, including education.

THE WHISTLER reports that popular Nigerian rapper and activist, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, alongside several civil society groups and activists, last week criticised Tinubu over the continued captivity of scores of abducted schoolchildren across the country.

In a statement issued following the 2026 Children’s Day celebration, the activists said at least 81 Nigerian children remain in captivity after being abducted by terrorists in Oyo and Borno states.

According to the statement, 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, Esinele, and L.A. Primary School, Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The group added that one of the abducted teachers, identified as Mr. Oyedokun Olugbade, was recently killed by his captors.

The statement further noted that another 42 children were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, during an attack on Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.