Nationwide Teachers’ Protest as School Kidnappings Reignite Security Debate Across Nigeria
Teachers under the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Tuesday staged coordinated protests across multiple states over the continued abduction of pupils and educators in school attacks across the country.
The demonstrations, held in states including Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Borno, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Taraba, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kwara and the Federal Capital Territory, were triggered by recent mass kidnappings in Borno and Oyo States.
The renewed unrest followed the abduction of over 80 students and teachers in May, in separate attacks that once again exposed the vulnerability of schools to armed groups.
In Borno State, suspected insurgents attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area on May 14, abducting more than 40 children.
Reports indicated that fleeing attackers used some of the pupils as human cover during escape.
On the same day in Oyo State, armed men invaded schools in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota axis, including Baptist Nursery and Primary School and Community Grammar School.
Pupils and teachers were taken away, while two teachers were later killed in captivity.
The incidents have added to a long record of school attacks across Nigeria since the 2014 Chibok abduction, which drew global attention to insecurity in the education sector.
Speaking during the protest in Abuja, NUT National President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted victims, warning that persistent attacks are weakening the education system.
“An attack on teachers is an attack on education, and an attack on education is an attack on the future of Nigeria,” he said.
He also faulted existing government interventions such as the Safe Schools Initiative, saying it has not delivered sufficient protection for learning environments.
Across the country, teachers voiced anger and fear. In Borno, protesters marched to the Government House demanding urgent rescue operations.
In Kano and Kwara, union leaders called for improved security presence in schools, saying educators now work under constant threat.
In Oyo State, families of abducted pupils reportedly rejected food and cash brought by officials, insisting that the safe return of their children was their only demand.
“We don’t want relief materials. We want our children back,” a community representative said.
In several other states including Lagos, Adamawa, Enugu, Bayelsa and Osun, teachers joined protests, warning that schools are increasingly unsafe for both staff and learners.
Some unions threatened to shut down schools if government fails to respond decisively.
In Ogun State, tensions rose when protesters forced their way into the state secretariat after security operatives attempted to block their march.
At the National Assembly, lawmakers called for immediate rescue operations and stronger protection of schools.
The House of Representatives urged federal authorities to intensify security reforms, while the Senate described the situation as a national emergency.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio warned that Nigeria remains deeply affected as long as abducted students and teachers are still in captivity, describing the crisis as an assault on the nation’s conscience.
Despite ongoing government assurances and existing school safety programmes, concerns persist over the repeated targeting of educational institutions.
Across the country, the message from teachers remained consistent: classrooms cannot function under fear, and learning cannot continue where schools are no longer safe.
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