Protesting teachers demand swift rescue of abducted Oyo, Borno schoolchildren

Teachers across the nation are protesting the growing wave of school abductions, demanding the immediate rescue of students and teachers kidnapped in recent attacks in Oyo and Borno states.

The demonstrations, organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), underscored mounting concerns over the safety of schools and the persistent targeting of educators and learners by criminal groups. BusinessDay monitored the ones staged in Abuja, Akwa Ibom, Osun, Ogun, Benue, Adamawa and Lagos States on Tuesday to press home demands.

On May 15, 2026, gunmen stormed three schools — Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School — in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, abducting several pupils and teachers.

The incident sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of schools across the country.

In a separate attack, 42 pupils of primary and junior secondary schools were kidnapped from Mussa community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, further highlighting the growing threat posed by insecurity to Nigeria’s education sector.

In Makurdi, Benue State, hundreds of teachers marched through major streets carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs as they called on the federal government and security agencies to secure the release of the abducted victims and strengthen security around schools.

Leading the protest, Levi Akuma, Benue NUT Chairman, described the continued attacks on schools as unacceptable and urged authorities to act decisively.

“What we are demanding is the immediate rescue of schoolchildren and teachers kidnapped in Oyo and Borno states over two weeks ago,” he said.

The protesters were received by the Benue State Government, with Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Deborah Aber, assuring teachers that efforts were ongoing to improve security and create safer learning environments across the state.

In Adamawa, teachers and labour activists staged a similar rally in Yola, marching to the Government House while carrying placards bearing inscriptions such as “Education under attack,” “Free Our Teachers and students,” and “Schools Must Be Safe.”

Addressing the gathering, Fasial Muhammad, Adamawa NUT Chairman, lamented the recurring kidnappings of students and teachers, accusing authorities of failing to provide adequate protection for schools.

He urged both federal and state governments to treat attacks on educational institutions as a national emergency, warning that continued insecurity could jeopardise the country’s future education.

Responding on behalf of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Edgar Amos, the Chief of Staff, assured protesters that their concerns would be conveyed to relevant federal authorities, including the Presidency.

In Abuja, teachers marched peacefully in coordinated groups, carrying placards, chanting solidarity songs, and calling on authorities to take immediate steps to secure schools and prevent further attacks.

Speaking during the rally, comrade Abdullahi Shafa, the chairman of the NUT, FCT chapter, said the protest was in line with directives from the union’s national headquarters.

He said the nationwide action became necessary following repeated attacks on schools, particularly the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, which he described as “deeply distressing and unacceptable.”

“We are working on the directives of the national headquarters of this union. They instructed us in every state of the federation to embark on a solidarity rally in protest of what has happened to our teachers and students,” Shafa said.

In Akwa Ibom, teachers were seen marching along Wellington Bassey Way and its environs, displaying placards with inscriptions such as, “An attack on teachers is an attack on education”, “Protect teachers and you protect the future”, “Education cannot thrive under terror”, and “Teachers are nation builders”, among others

Comrade Edet Emenyi, the state chairman of NUT, while addressing the protesters, condemned the abduction and the increasing threats to teachers and learners across the country.

He regretted that schools, which ought to have been centres of learning and hope, have become targets of violence and criminality.

Armed with placards with inscriptions such as ‘Stop killing custodians of knowledge’, ‘From Chibok to Oriire, our children are still crying’, ‘Set our teachers, pupils & students free from captivity’, the protesters in Osun State appealed to the government to find solutions to the security challenges ravaging the country.

“We are out today in solidarity with our colleagues and students who were abducted in Oriire Local Government, Oyo State.

In Lagos State, protesting teachers from different local government areas marched from Ikeja Under Bridge to the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) in Alausa.

Mr Akintoye Hassan, the chairman, NUT, Lagos State Wing, said that the protest was not only in response to recent incidents in Oyo State.

“The struggle today is not only about a recent incident. It is about all the abductions of children and students that have taken place in Nigeria since around 2014,” the chairman said.

According to him, insecurity has affected people from all walks of life, including teachers, students, doctors, community leaders and politicians.

He said that the challenge required a collective response from security agencies, political leaders and citizens rather than a culture of blame.

The coordinated demonstrations formed part of a nationwide solidarity campaign by teachers and labour unions, who insist that schools must no longer remain soft targets for kidnappers and armed groups.

The protesters called for stronger security measures, the safe return of all abducted students and teachers, and renewed government commitment to protecting Nigeria’s education sector from escalating insecurity.