Teachers across several states in Nigeria on Tuesday staged coordinated solidarity protests over the abduction of school children and teachers in Oyo State, warning that insecurity has turned schools into unsafe spaces for learning.
In Kwara State, members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) marched through parts of Ilorin, expressing outrage over the May 15 attack on schools in Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where 46 people, including 39 students and seven teachers, were kidnapped.
The Kwara protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions such as “No Safe Schools in Nigeria” and “From Chibok to Oriire: Our Children Are Still Crying,” said the situation reflects a worsening pattern of attacks on educational institutions nationwide.
The union’s Deputy Secretary-General in Kwara, Mike Modesty, lamented the continued captivity of victims and condemned what he described as government failure to adequately protect schools. He also referenced similar incidents in other parts of the country, including Borno and Zamfara, arguing that education is under coordinated attack.
He further warned that insecurity had become so severe that many schools were no longer safe for teachers and students, adding that fear and anxiety were discouraging parents from sending their children to school.
Modesty also called for stronger government action, including possible international collaboration to tackle armed groups responsible for kidnappings, while noting that economic hardship and poverty were worsening insecurity nationwide.
In Enugu State, teachers under the NUT also took their protest to the Government House, where they demanded the immediate and unconditional release of abducted pupils and teachers. The demonstrators, who described schools as “danger zones,” urged both state and federal authorities to strengthen protection around learning institutions.
The Enugu NUT Chairman, Theophilus Odo, said the protest followed a directive from the national leadership of the union, stressing that the safety of teachers and students must be prioritised. The state government, through the Secretary to the State Government, assured the union that their concerns would be communicated to relevant authorities.
Similarly, in Taraba State, teachers joined students in Jalingo to stage a peaceful march, calling for urgent action to rescue the abducted victims in Oyo State. The protesters moved through major streets carrying placards reading “Protect Our Schools” and “Education Under Attack.”
Speaking on behalf of the state government, officials condemned the attack and reaffirmed commitment to improving school safety, while assuring that the message of the protesters would be relayed to the appropriate authorities.
Across the different states, the demonstrations ended peacefully with union leaders reiterating a common demand of the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted teachers and students, and urgent federal intervention to secure schools nationwide.