Abduction: Oyo NUT meets Makinde, as teachers’ strike continues

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State met with Governor Seyi Makinde, in Ibadan, the State capital, on Tuesday, to present its requests regarding its ongoing strike over the recent abduction of pupils and teachers of different schools in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

The union said its meeting with the governor centred on its demand for the rescue of the victims and strengthening of security across schools in the state.

It also said it will consult its national leadership before deciding the next step on its ongoing indefinite strike embarked on 1 June to demand an urgent rescue of the 39 students and seven teachers abducted by gunmen from three schools on 15 May in Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES on phone on Tuesday, the Oyo NUT Secretary, Salami Olukayode, said the union briefed the governor on its concerns and would relay the outcome of the discussion to the national body of the union which directed withdrawal of services by teachers in the state and a nationwide protest joined by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and civil society organisations

“The governor received us today to engage us, but the next line of action now is for us to refer the matter back to the national body,” Olukayode said. “It was the national body that directed the withdrawal of services (in Oyo State) and the nationwide protest in solidarity for the rescue of the victims.”

Mr Olukayode said the union’s major concern remains the safe rescue of the abducted victims and stronger security measures across the schools to prevent future attacks on schools and surrounding communities.

According to him, the psychological and emotional impact of the incident has left many teachers, families, and communities traumatised. He added that the union has also called for the implementation of concrete school protection measures in the state.

“We are requesting them to synergise with all necessary authorities down to the local government level to secure the release of these victims. Because for them to continue to be in captivity, the agony in the land continues to mount,” Mr Olukayode said.

While efforts to secure the release of the victims are ongoing, teachers remain concerned about the long-term security of schools across the state.

Akande Rukayat, a teacher at Muslim Grammar School, Odinjo in Ibadan stated that the abduction has heightened safety concerns among teachers and parents.

“The incident affected us because they are our colleagues, and those children are small children. Anybody with blood running in their body would sympathise with those teachers and pupils,” she said.

She added that although some schools had already tightened security procedures following the incident but noted that many teachers still fear fully returning to classrooms without visible security improvements.

“In my school now, before anybody enters, we record the person’s name and purpose. We now monitor movements more carefully,” she said. “But what about a stronger security presence across schools in the state? Because these people are armed with guns.”

Christina John, a parent in a school in Ogbomosho, said they support efforts to secure the release of the victims but remain worried about the prolonged disruption of school activities. She expressed that the incident has discouraged parents to send their children to school, especially those in rural areas.

“We want our children back in school but we are worried about sending our children to school and spending the every day worrying whether they will return home. We need help on security,” she said.

The abduction in Oriire LGA is the latest in a series of mass abductions in communities and schools in Nigeria over the past decade. Since the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, hundreds of students and teachers have been kidnapped in separate incidents across states including Kaduna, Kwara, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina, and Kebbi states.