Teachers across Nigeria on Tuesday staged coordinated protests and solidarity rallies following the abduction of teachers and pupils by suspected bandits in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, deepening concerns over insecurity in schools and the safety of education workers nationwide.

The protests, led by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), came after armed men reportedly attacked schools in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Ogbomoso axis on May 15, abducting teachers, pupils and school administrators, while one teacher was allegedly killed during the attack. The union described the incident as “horrifying and traumatic,” warning that schools across the country can no longer operate under fear and insecurity.

In Oyo State, hundreds of teachers marched through major streets in Ibadan, carrying placards demanding the immediate rescue of their colleagues and pupils still held in captivity. Civil society groups, education stakeholders and parents joined the protest, urging the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts. Protesters warned that silence over attacks on schools could encourage further kidnappings and weaken confidence in public education.

Reports indicate that solidarity demonstrations were also organised in several states following a directive by the national leadership of the NUT. Teachers in parts of the South-West, including Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Lagos, reportedly held peaceful assemblies at state secretariats and local government education offices, demanding better security architecture for schools and swift action to secure the release of the victims. Similar gatherings were said to have occurred in northern states that have previously witnessed school abductions, including Niger and Kebbi, where education workers expressed fears that attacks on schools were becoming increasingly normalised.

In the Federal Capital Territory, labour and education advocates reportedly joined calls for stronger federal intervention, while pressure mounted on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to adopt tougher security measures against armed groups targeting schools. The NUT warned that failure to rescue the abducted victims could trigger wider industrial actions across the education sector.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has announced fresh security measures in response to the Oyo abduction, including the deployment of a specialised rescue team and approval for the recruitment of additional forest guards to strengthen surveillance in vulnerable communities. Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde also assured affected families that efforts were ongoing to secure the safe return of the abducted teachers and pupils, while appealing for public patience and cooperation with security agencies.

Education stakeholders have continued to express fears that repeated attacks on schools could worsen Nigeria’s out-of-school crisis, disrupt learning and discourage teachers from accepting postings in rural communities already threatened by insecurity. Many protesters insisted that schools must become protected zones and called for a permanent security presence around vulnerable learning centres across the country.