Public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State were shut on Monday as teachers complied with a directive by the Nigeria Union of Teachers 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 of the state.

The protest coincided with demonstrations in Oyo and Ogun states, where residents, civil society groups and labour activists demanded the immediate release of the abductees and urged governments at all levels to intensify efforts to tackle insecurity.

On May 15, 2026, armed men attacked three schools-Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire LGA, taking pupils and teachers captive.

The abduction had since generated outcries across the country.

Checks by The PUNCH showed that academic activities were suspended in public schools across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State following the NUT directive.

Students in Moniya, Ojoo and Otun Agba-Agbakin in Akinyele Local Government; Agbowo, Bodija and Sango in Ibadan North Local Government; Beere, Oja’ba and Molete in Ibadan South East Local Government; Orita Challenge and New Garage in Ibadan South West, as well as Odo-Ona and Alao-Akala Way in the Oluyole Local Government Area, who had prepared for school were asked to remain at home after news of the strike filtered through on Monday morning.

Also, there was total compliance in Ogbomoso and Ibarapa axis of the state.

In Ogbomoso, some protesters took to the streets to demand the immediate rescue of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers.

A visibly distraught woman, wearing a pink hijab, broke down in tears as she pleaded for the release of the victims, lamenting that her children were among those kidnapped.

The woman said, “Please, have mercy on me. The children have a bright future. Government, please help us and intervene in this matter. I have cried and cried.

“Where will I start from? The children are my tomorrow. They are my hope. Please, help me. May you also not weep over your children.”

Also, another protester, Ajibola Aboderin said, “We are here to express our grievances, but in a peaceful manner. We feel the pain of the abducted teachers, students and their families, almost 18 days after the incident.

“Even those of us in our homes are feeling the discomfort, not to talk of pupils in the forest enduring such harsh conditions — the rain, the sun and the dew. It is truly pathetic.

“We are protesting to draw the attention of the Federal and State Governments, as well as security agencies, to urgently secure their release.

“We are not happy at all. How can anyone be so heartless as to kidnap a two-year-old boy or girl? This country is deteriorating into something unrecognisable.”

A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to the plight of the abducted teachers and pupils.

The teacher said, “I was already in my base – Ibarapa yesterday (Sunday) after Sallah break when one of my bosses called me on the telephone that there would be a strike on Monday. I came back home to Ibadan today (Monday) to observe it.”

Another teacher said, “The protest is in solidarity with the kidnapped teachers and students of Ahoro-Esienle community. We cannot imagine the pains and agonies of the kidnapped students and their teachers in the past 18 days. Our appeal is for both the Federal and State Governments to expedite action on their release.”

Parents also expressed concern over the prolonged captivity of the victims.

Kunle Aofolaju said he only learnt of the strike on a radio programme on Monday morning.

Aofolaju said, “I was not aware until this morning (Monday) when I heard the strike on a radio station’s news review”.

Another parent, Kazeem Abdulmumini, said, “My children had already put on their uniforms when my neighbours called my attention to the strike. So, I asked them immediately to undress and stay at home.”

In Ibadan, members of the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society organisations staged a peaceful protest, carrying placards with inscriptions such as ‘Security For All, Not For A Few,’ ‘Government Must End Kidnapping In Oyo State,’ and ‘Protect Farmers, Traders And Students.’

Security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other agencies were deployed to strategic locations across the city during the demonstration.

A protester identified simply as Kunle said Nigerians were becoming increasingly frustrated by persistent insecurity.

“Let them know that Nigerians are not at peace. Let them know that the people of Oyo are not smiling. Let them know that the Nigerian people are fed up with insecurity,” he said.

Ogun residents protest

In neighbouring Ogun State, residents of Abeokuta also took to the streets to protest the abduction and worsening insecurity across the country.

The protesters carried placards bearing messages including ‘Bring Back Our School Children,’ ‘Stop Kidnapping, Banditry,’ and ‘End Terrorism in Nigeria.’

Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Juwon Owolabi, said residents now lived in fear due to rising insecurity.

He urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.

“This is a time when the parents and everyone are grieving. We cannot continue like this. We sleep with anxiety and panic, and we trust that the government has the capacity and what it takes to end this insecurity now.

“We know that if it doesn’t end now, no one would be safe in the end. We stand with the parents, the families of those who are in the den of this terrorist and we call on the government to intensify efforts to ensure the freedom of all who are under the captivity of these terrorists”, he said.

Owolabi insisted that the country was at a tipping point and no one, including the rich or poor, was safe.

“We are at a tipping point. We are at a point where if we don’t do anything about this insecurity, all of us will be victims of it. It doesn’t matter who you are, whether you are a civil servant or whether you are rich or poor, you are not safe.

“Nobody is safe. It’s time we all come out. There is power in our numbers. The government must know we are united. Don’t wait until the 2027 election. You don’t even have a choice. The choices are made for you already, so this is the time for us to speak out peacefully. We are imploring the government to deploy all necessary instruments to ensure that these children are released and the security of our communities is guaranteed”, he said.

An entrepreneur, who identified herself simply as Ada, said insecurity had affected businesses and restricted movements in the state.

“For the past week, I have not been able to travel. I have orders coming in, but I can’t work. The least the government can do for us as citizens is to provide security,” she said.

Also, a nursing mother, Precious Jonathan, appealed to the government to prioritise the safety of children and citizens.

She said, “My baby is one year and a month old. I’m out because of my child and my unborn children. I want a better Nigeria for all of us. The government should please remember us and give us a better Nigeria.

“The other day, it was rainy heavily, and I stood to close the windows and wrap my baby up. And I immediately remembered the children in the bush. I felt so sad and unhappy. We beg the government to please be more committed to fighting the ravaging insecurity. We want all these school children and their teachers to reunite with their families.”

Teachers begin rallies

Teachers across the federation are expected to converge on state government secretariats on Tuesday (today) in a nationwide protest demanding the unconditional release of teachers and learners abducted in Oyo State and other parts of the country.

The simultaneous rallies, scheduled to hold in all 36 state capitals, are being organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers in response to the growing wave of kidnappings targeting schools and education workers.

The action follows a directive from the national leadership of the NUT contained in a circular dated May 29, 2026, and signed by the union’s president, Audu Amba, and secretary, Clinton Ikpitibo.

The circular mandated all state chapters to stage solidarity rallies to draw attention to the worsening insecurity affecting schools.

In Lagos, teachers are expected to assemble at Ikeja Bus Stop before marching to Alausa Secretariat, while their counterparts in Oyo State will converge on the state secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Ibadan.

Mobilisation gathered momentum on Monday as placards, banners and flyers arrived at NUT secretariats across the country.

The placards bore messages, including “Stop the Kidnapping of Teachers and Students Now,” “Schools Must Be Safe Havens, Not Crime Scenes,” and “Protect Teachers, Protect the Future.”

Arrangements were also concluded for public address systems and vehicles to support the rallies, while security agencies are expected to protect to prevent any disruption.

Speaking with The PUNCH on Monday, the Lagos State Chairman of NUT, Akintoye Hassan, said the union deliberately chose not to shut down schools nationwide despite the security concerns.

According to him, schools would remain open in most states, except Oyo, where authorities had ordered a temporary closure following the recent abductions.

“There will be a solidarity rally tomorrow (today) across the federation, but schools will remain open in most states,” Hassan said.

He argued that a nationwide school shutdown would amount to conceding victory to those behind attacks on educational institutions.

“We decided not to shut down our schools entirely because that has been the objective of Boko Haram from the beginning – to discourage education and deny children access to learning,” he stated.

Hassan warned that prolonged closure of public schools would disproportionately affect children from poor backgrounds, noting that many private schools had continued academic activities despite the security challenges.

“If public schools are shut down while private schools remained open, the children of ordinary Nigerians will suffer the most. The gap we have been trying to close through advocacy for quality public education will only widen,” he said.

The union leader called on governments at all levels to prioritise the safety of schools and citizens above political considerations.

“We must call on government to rise to the occasion and place the security of citizens above every other interest,” he said.

Hassan also stressed that teachers, as role models, must demonstrate resilience in difficult times.

“We are not only teaching knowledge; we are teaching values, values such as resilience and endurance. We must not be found wanting in moments like this,” he added.

Expressing concern over the spread of insecurity across the country, Hassan noted, “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.

He warned against treating an abduction case as an isolated incident, saying many victims of previous kidnappings had faded from public attention.

“A few months ago, people were talking about Kwara, today, nobody is talking about Kwara. The same day the Oyo incident happened, there were similar cases elsewhere, but because those incidents have become routine, they no longer make headlines,” he said.

The union chairman said the protest was intended to address the broader security crisis affecting schools rather than focus solely on recent incidents.

“We have to address this issue holistically. We must not forget victims whose cases have been pushed into the background simply because another incident has occurred,” he said.

Group accuses FG

Meanwhile, the North East Civil Society Network accused the Federal Government of applying double standards in its response to school abductions.

The group questioned what it described as the disparity between the Federal Government’s intervention in Oyo State and its response to recent kidnappings in Borno State.

In a statement issued on Monday, the chairman of the group, Ahmed Shehu, said 42 pupils abducted from a school in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State deserved the same level of attention given to victims in Oyo.

“We are angry. And we have questions. Does that mean some Nigerian children are more precious than others? Does that mean children from the North East are less Nigerian than those from the South?” he asked.

The group called for the deployment of the same level of security response in all parts of the country, regardless of location.

Ogbomoso club laments

Also reacting to the abduction, the Ogbomoso Pivotal Club Lagos described the incident as a painful reminder of worsening insecurity in rural communities and called for the immediate release of the victims.

In a statement signed by its president, Joel Owoade, and general secretary, Gbite Adegoke, the club said the prolonged captivity of the pupils and teachers had deepened anxiety across Ogbomosoland.

“We condemn this dastardly act against hapless captives in the strongest terms,” the group said, while urging security agencies to intensify rescue efforts.

In a related development, the Northern Christian Youth Professionals commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the recruitment of 1,000 Forest Guards for Oyo State, describing the move as a step towards strengthening internal security.

The group, however, urged the Federal Government to ensure swift implementation of the initiative and extend the programme nationwide.

In a statement signed by its chairman, Isaac Abrak, the organisation said delays in operationalising security initiatives could undermine their effectiveness and leave communities vulnerable to attacks.