Residents of Ogbomoso and Ibadan on Monday staged separate protests, demanding the immediate rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted by gunmen in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The demonstrations come more than two weeks after the May 15 attack on three schools, during which about 39 students and seven teachers were kidnapped. An assistant headmaster and a motorcyclist were killed during the incident.
In Ogbomoso, an emotional protest was led by an elderly woman whose children are among the victims. Holding a placard with the inscription “Bring Them Back Home Safe,” she broke down in tears as she appealed to the government to secure their release.
“My children are my tomorrow and my hope. Please help us,” she pleaded, lamenting the prolonged captivity of the victims.
Other protesters expressed frustration over what they described as the slow pace of rescue efforts, noting that the abductees had spent 18 days in captivity under harsh conditions.
The emotional scenes were mirrored in Ibadan, where residents also took to the streets. A female tricycle operator caught in traffic caused by the protest was seen in a viral video tearfully appealing to authorities to intervene and rescue the victims.
The protests come amid growing public concern over insecurity and kidnappings in the state. On Sunday, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) declared an indefinite strike and directed its state chapters nationwide to hold solidarity rallies in support of the victims and their families.
The Oyo State chapter of the union confirmed compliance with the directive, describing the situation as deeply troubling.
Public outrage intensified after reports emerged that one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was killed by the kidnappers. The principal of Community High School, Esiele, Rachael Alamu, who is also among those abducted, recently appealed for urgent intervention, warning that the kidnappers had threatened to kill another captive.
In response to the crisis, Governor Seyi Makinde visited affected families on Saturday, while a federal delegation led by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu visited Ogbomoso on Sunday.
President Bola Tinubu has since ordered the deployment of a specialised security team with advanced rescue capabilities to facilitate the safe return of the abducted students and teachers.