Oyo school abduction: NANS rejects calls for strike, mass protests

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly rejected calls for a statewide strike and mass protests following the recent mass abduction of school pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

In a statement signed by its National President Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, NANS cautioned that disrupting public order through strikes could inadvertently serve the interests of the kidnappers.

NANS expressed deep concern over calls by the Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights, CDWR, urging the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, to declare a statewide strike and organise mass protests.

While acknowledging the constitutional rights of citizens and organisations to freedom of expression and association, the student body stressed that such rights must be exercised with caution and a sense of national responsibility, especially when the lives of abducted teachers and schoolchildren remain at risk.

The apex student body described the abduction as heartbreaking, noting that innocent children sent to school by their parents to acquire education have become victims of criminal elements seeking leverage through fear and violence.

It argued that shutting down economic and social activities through strikes could play directly into the hands of kidnappers and terrorists whose ultimate goal is to destabilise society and spread panic.

According to NANS, the current situation demands national solidarity rather than actions that could deepen tensions.

The body maintained that governments, particularly during politically sensitive periods, would not stand by while citizens remain in captivity, expressing confidence that efforts are ongoing to secure the safe return of the victims.

Drawing lessons from international experiences, NANS referenced how citizens in other countries rallied behind their governments during periods of national crisis rather than allowing divisions to weaken collective responses to security threats.

The association further urged Nigerians to view the fight against terrorism as a shared national responsibility rather than a burden solely for government institutions, insisting that unity remains the country’s strongest weapon against insecurity.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s history, NANS recalled how the nation overcame the challenges of the civil war and defied predictions of disintegration, arguing that the same spirit of resilience can be deployed to confront terrorism and kidnapping.

“The lives of the abducted teachers and pupils are paramount. This is a moment for caution, unity, and collective resolve, not actions that could embolden those holding innocent Nigerians captive,” the statement said.

NANS ultimately called on Nigerians across political, ethnic, and social divides to stand together against terrorism and support efforts aimed at securing the release of the abducted victims and restoring safety in schools across the country.