Protests in Ibadan over Oriire School abduction, as group appeals to govt

Placards carrying members of the Take-It-Back (TIB) stormed Mokola Roundabout in Ibadan, Oyo State, to protest against the continued captivity of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area.

This is as all schools in the state were under lock and key following the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) directive that all public primary and secondary school teachers in Oyo State withdraw their services from schools beginning Monday, June 1, 2026, until further notice.

Meanwhile, there was a heavy security presence within the Ibadan metropolis as patrol vans of the police were stationed at strategic places while personnel were seen taking positions.

However, bearing various inscriptions such as “Security for all, not for a few”, “Government must end kidnapping in Oyo State,” “We demand safer roads and communities”, the TIB decried the worsening security situation in the state and the country.

The protesters who gathered at the busy intersection Mokola roundabout, in the state capital,  expressed concern over growing insecurity affecting residents, farmers, traders, and schoolchildren.

Addressing journalists during the protest, one of the demonstrators
called on the Oyo State Government and security agencies to intensify efforts toward securing the release of the victims and tackling the rising wave of kidnappings across the state.

Lamenting continued security challenges confronting Nigerians,the protesters say citizens were increasingly losing confidence in the government’s ability to guarantee their safety.

“Let them know that the people of Nigeria are not at peace. Let them know that the people of Oyo State are not smiling. Let them know that Nigerians are tired of insecurity and want urgent action,”.

The Take-It-Back Movement maintained that the safety of citizens, particularly schoolchildren and educators, should remain a top priority, urging authorities to act swiftly to secure the release of the victims and prevent further attacks on schools and communities across the state.

On May 15, suspected armed bandits carried out a coordinated attack on three schools across the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State in which no fewer than 45 pupils, alongside their teachers, were abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area on Friday.

The affected schools include Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and L.A. Primary School, Ahoro-Esinele.

The bandits reportedly attacked the Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m on that day.