Key points
- Public schools in Oyo State were shut as the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) began a nationwide protest over school abductions.
- Demonstrations erupted in Oyo and Ogun States, with residents demanding urgent rescue of abducted pupils and teachers.
- Teachers across Nigeria are staging coordinated rallies at state secretariats today to press for improved school security.
Main story
Public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State were closed on Monday following a directive from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), as teachers embarked on a nationwide protest over the abduction of pupils and teachers in the state.
The shutdown affected all 33 local government areas, disrupting academic activities after the union ordered members to withdraw services in solidarity with victims kidnapped from schools in Ahoro-Esienle and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
The abductions, which occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools including Community Grammar School and Baptist Nursery and Primary School, have sparked widespread national outrage.
In Oyo and neighbouring Ogun State, residents, civil society groups, and labour activists staged protests calling for the immediate release of the victims and stronger government action to address rising insecurity.
In Ogbomoso, protesters took to the streets, with emotional scenes as a grieving mother whose children were among the abducted pleaded for their safe return. Other residents described the incident as a national tragedy and condemned the worsening security situation.
Similar demonstrations were held in Ibadan, where members of the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society organisations marched with placards reading “Security For All, Not For A Few” and “Stop Kidnapping In Oyo State.” Security operatives, including personnel from the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, were deployed to maintain order.
In Ogun State, protesters in Abeokuta also demanded urgent action, warning that insecurity was pushing citizens into fear and economic hardship.
The issues
The protests highlight growing concerns over persistent school abductions in Nigeria and the perceived inability of security agencies to protect vulnerable communities. Critics argue that repeated attacks on educational institutions are undermining public confidence in the safety of schools, particularly in rural areas.
What’s being said
A protester in Ogbomoso described the situation as “pathetic,” lamenting that children were enduring harsh conditions in captivity.
Another resident said Nigerians were “fed up with insecurity,” while calling on government at all levels to urgently secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.
The Lagos State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Akintoye Hassan, said the union deliberately avoided shutting down schools nationwide to prevent further disruption to education, stressing that “schools must remain safe havens, not crime scenes.”
Civil society voices in Ogun State also warned that the country was approaching a “tipping point” if insecurity is not urgently addressed.
What’s next
Teachers across the federation are expected to converge on state secretariats today for coordinated solidarity rallies. According to the NUT, demonstrations will hold simultaneously in all 36 state capitals, including Lagos (Alausa Secretariat) and Oyo (Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat in Ibadan).
The union says the action is aimed at sustaining pressure on government to secure the release of abducted students and teachers while demanding stronger protection for schools nationwide.
Bottom line
The nationwide protests underscore deepening frustration over school abductions and insecurity in Nigeria, with teachers, parents, and civil society groups demanding urgent government intervention to ensure the safe return of victims and restore confidence in the education system.
