Teachers and civil society groups staged a peaceful protest in Ibadan on Friday, demanding the government move faster to free dozens of abducted schoolchildren and educators taken from Oriire Local Government Area more than a week ago.
The Oyo State Teachers Action Group organised the demonstration with backing from the Nigeria Teachers Congress. The abductees were taken on May 15 from Esiele and Yawota communities in Ogbomoso, and remain missing in unknown conditions.
Reverend Bunmi Thomas, the NTC's national president, addressed the crowd and said the Congress joined the protest because the demand was just and lawful. He told the government it must do more. "If the government is trying and the desired result has not been achieved, then more efforts must be intensified," Thomas said. "We want the government to do more to rescue the teachers and pupils."
Thomas voiced particular alarm for the youngest captives. "We have children as young as two and three years old in the bush. They are exposed to rain and harsh weather conditions," he said. "These victims are in danger, and nobody knows who could be next."
He called on the state government to station armed security at every public school in Oyo State. Teachers, he said, should not have to work in constant fear for their lives. Thomas was careful to praise Governor Seyi Makinde's overall record in office, making clear the protest was not directed at the governor personally.
Retired Commissioner of Police Sunday Odukoya, who serves as the governor's executive assistant on security, attended the protest and offered reassurance. He said the government was working actively on the rescue but could not reveal operational details publicly without risking the victims' safety. He claimed Makinde had stayed on top of the situation since the abduction and had visited the affected areas himself.
Odukoya pledged that no protester would face victimisation or harassment. "Governor Seyi Makinde believes strongly in the rule of law. No teacher involved in this protest will be victimised," he said. He reminded the crowd of their constitutional right to demonstrate and acknowledged the incident was unfortunate.
The protesters left the march unconvinced by assurances alone. They pressed the government for concrete action, speedier updates on rescue operations, and visible security presence in schools. The state government has not announced a timeline for the victims' release.
