Schoolchildren Abduction: Oyo Protests Go Nationwide, NASS Moves on State Police

The abduction of dozens of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has triggered nationwide outrage, prompting protests across several states, condemnation from the National Assembly, and renewed calls for major security reforms.

The incident, which occurred on May 15, involved armed men attacking three schools in the Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities, abducting pupils and teachers and leaving families in distress.

As the Senate resumed plenary on Tuesday following the Sallah recess, lawmakers observed a minute of silence in honour of two teachers and a pupil who lost their lives in connection with the attack.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the abduction as an assault on Nigeria’s collective humanity, stressing that attacks on children and teachers threaten the nation’s future and undermine confidence in the education system.

Akpabio paid tribute to slain teachers Michael Oyedokun and Adesiyan Adegboye, as well as a pupil killed during the incident, while expressing hope that ongoing security operations would secure the release of those still in captivity.

He also urged politicians to avoid exploiting the tragedy for partisan purposes, warning that insecurity affects all Nigerians regardless of political affiliation, religion, or ethnicity.

The attack has revived painful memories of previous mass school abductions in Nigeria and heightened concerns over the safety of educational institutions nationwide.

The crisis deepened after reports indicated that at least 82 pupils were abducted in separate incidents in Oyo and Borno states between May 13 and May 15. In Borno, 42 pupils were reportedly kidnapped following attacks on schools in Askira Uba and Chibok Local Government Areas.

In response, the House of Representatives called on the Federal Government and security agencies to secure the release of the abducted children and implement a comprehensive national Safe Schools Security Framework.

Leading the debate, lawmaker Midala Balami warned that repeated attacks on schools were undermining access to education and eroding public confidence in government’s ability to guarantee security.

The House also mandated relevant committees to engage security agencies and monitor rescue efforts while emphasising the need for stronger intelligence gathering, rapid-response mechanisms, and community-based security initiatives.

The issue of state policing again dominated discussions in the House, with lawmakers arguing that decentralised policing could improve security responses in vulnerable communities.

Representative Ayodeji Alao-Akala lamented persistent attacks in Ogbomoso and Oriire, describing the killing of teacher Michael Oyedokun in captivity as a barbaric act demanding decisive government action.

He further warned that forests surrounding the Old Oyo National Park had become operational bases for criminal groups due to inadequate security presence.

Meanwhile, nationwide solidarity protests organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers spread across the Federal Capital Territory and several states, including Lagos, Edo, Rivers, Cross River, Benue, Adamawa, Taraba, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Osun, and Niger.

Addressing protesters in Abuja, Nyesom Wike assured teachers that security agencies were making every effort to rescue the victims and urged Nigerians not to politicise the crisis.

Similar demonstrations took place in Lagos, where Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, renewed calls for state police and stressed the need for long-term security solutions.

In Ibadan, Governor Seyi Makinde appealed for unity and restraint, describing the abduction as a moment of national distress rather than political contestation.

Makinde assured protesters that security personnel and intelligence agencies had been deployed to track the abductors and secure the release of the remaining victims, while urging stakeholders to support ongoing rescue efforts instead of assigning blame.