Protest rocks Ibadan as youths demand rescue of abducted Ogbomoso schoolchildren, teachers

Hundreds of protesters on Monday took to the streets of Ibadan, Oyo state, demanding the immediate rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted by gunmen in Oriire LGA.

The demonstration, which disrupted traffic along major roads in the state capital, began at the Mokola roundabout and moved toward the University College Hospital (UCH), drawing the attention of motorists and residents.

The protesters, comprising members of the Take-It-Back Movement, teachers and students, carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “#BringBackOurChildren,” “#47Abducted,” and “#SpeakUp.”

One of the demonstrators, Femi Adeyeye, said the protest was aimed at drawing urgent government attention to the worsening security situation in the state.

“These things have been happening but the government hasn’t been paying adequate attention,” Adeyeye said.

“You can’t be in your house and be killed, yet it is happening in Nigeria. We are demanding the urgent rescue of the abducted children.”

Kayode Babayomi, another protester and activist accused both the state and federal governments of failing to adequately protect citizens.

“Both the Oyo and federal governments have failed to protect the citizens. That’s why we are out here to register our displeasure,” he said.

“We are demanding effective security and strict monitoring of schools across the state. The situation is getting worse day by day.”

The demonstrators called for safer communities, improved protection for students, farmers and traders, and stronger security measures to tackle rising cases of kidnapping and violent attacks across the state.

The protest comes amid growing outrage over the May 15 abduction of about 39 pupils and seven teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.

The attack claimed the lives of an assistant headmaster and a commercial motorcyclist, while one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later reportedly beheaded by the kidnappers, sparking national condemnation.

The crisis has also triggered industrial action by the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT). The union directed its members nationwide to stage solidarity rallies and, in Oyo state, commenced an indefinite strike to press for the safe return of the victims and stronger security around schools.

In separate videos released from captivity, one of the abducted victims, Rachael Alamu, principal of Community High School, Esiele, appealed for urgent intervention, warning that the kidnappers had threatened to kill another hostage if efforts to secure their release were not intensified.

Amid mounting pressure, governor Seyi Makinde recently visited the families of the victims, while a federal government delegation led by Femi Gbajabiamila, chief of staff to the president and Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser visited Ogbomoso on Sunday.

President Bola Tinubu has also ordered the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.