The Oyo State chapter of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) on Friday staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan over the abduction of students and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area, calling on authorities to urgently secure their release.
The protest comes nearly three weeks after suspected kidnappers invaded Esiele community in Oriire on May 15 and whisked away more than 40 students and teachers from their schools in a violent operation that has since thrown the state into anxiety.
The abductors, according to reports, have circulated disturbing footage showing the victims being subjected to harsh treatment in a forest location, further heightening public concern and calls for swift government intervention.
Speaking during the protest, teachers from primary and secondary schools across the state converged at Iwo Road in Ibadan, where they marched peacefully while chanting solidarity songs and demanding immediate action from security agencies.
“We are here to cry out for help. Our children and colleagues are in captivity, and we cannot continue in silence while their lives are in danger,” one of the protesting teachers said.
The demonstrators repeatedly chanted slogans such as “Bring back our children” and “No more bandits,” as they appealed to both state and federal authorities to intensify rescue operations.
They lamented the psychological trauma the incident had inflicted on teachers, parents and pupils, warning that the education system in the affected communities had been severely disrupted.
The NUT urged security agencies to leave no stone unturned in ensuring the safe return of the abducted victims, stressing that the safety of schools must be guaranteed to restore confidence in the education sector.