Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Mokola Roundabout in Ibadan, one of the busiest intersections in the Oyo State capital, was brought to a standstill on Monday, June 1, 2026, as hundreds of civil society activists, teachers and concerned citizens gathered to demand the immediate rescue of 46 pupils, students and teachers who have now spent 17 days in captivity after armed bandits attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area. The demonstration, which converged at the roundabout by 9:00 am, saw protesters carrying placards bearing inscriptions such as “Every Life Matters, Stop the Kidnappers,” “47 Abducted, Scared and Alone” and “Stand Up! Speak Out!”. The protest was organised by the Oyo State Teachers Action Group in collaboration with the Nigeria Teachers Congress (NTC), a non‑governmental organisation, and was later joined by members of the Take‑It‑Back Movement and other civil society groups.
The abduction that triggered the nationwide outrage occurred on Friday, May 15, 2026, when about 12 armed men on motorcycles, dressed in military camouflage, simultaneously attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Ahoro‑Esinele; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele. The assailants shot sporadically, killing an assistant headmaster, Mr. Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist, before forcing pupils and teachers into the bush. A mathematics teacher, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded in a viral video that sparked national revulsion. According to community leaders, 46 persons – 39 pupils and students and seven teachers – remain in captivity, including a two‑year‑old toddler, Christianah Akanbi, and the principal of Community High School, Mrs. Rachael Alamu. On May 27, Mrs. Alamu appeared in a fresh video from captivity, pleading with the government to negotiate rather than use force, and revealing that the captives were being left under the scorching sun and heavy rain with no shelter.
Speaking at the protest, the National President of the Nigeria Teachers Congress (NTC), Reverend Bunmi Thomas, said the demonstration was lawful and aimed at drawing the government’s attention to the plight of the victims. “When we heard about the proposed protest by the Oyo State Teachers Action Group, we were satisfied and decided to join them because what they are doing is lawful,” Thomas said. “They are demanding pragmatic action from the government to secure the release of the abducted teachers and students. If the government is trying and the desired result has not been achieved, then more efforts must be intensified.” Thomas expressed particular concern over the condition of the youngest victims. “We have children as young as two and three years old in the bush. They are exposed to rain and harsh weather conditions. These victims are in danger, and nobody knows who could be next,” he lamented. He called on the state government to attach security personnel to all public schools, adding, “We cannot continue to work while living in danger.” While Thomas praised Governor Seyi Makinde’s performance in office, he insisted that “we need regular updates on efforts being made to rescue our teachers and students.”
In a separate but parallel protest, members of the Take‑It‑Back Movement staged their own demonstration at the same location, demanding an end to the worsening insecurity across Oyo State. Some of their placards read: “Security for all, not for a few,” “Government must end kidnapping in Oyo State,” “We demand safer roads and communities,” and “Protect farmers, traders and students.” A protester who addressed the gathering told the crowd that Nigerians were becoming increasingly frustrated by the persistent security challenges confronting the country. “Let them know that the people of Nigeria are not at peace. Let them know that the people of Oyo State are not smiling. Let them know that the Nigerian people are fed up with insecurity,” the protester said. The demonstration came amid growing outrage over the abduction and followed a series of emotional appeals by family members of the victims, who have continued to express frustration over the prolonged captivity.
The protest on Monday was not the first. On Friday, May 29, teachers and CSOs had also marched through the streets of Ibadan, making similar demands. On that day, the Oyo State Teachers Action Group, supported by the NTC, led a peaceful protest that began at the Mokola Roundabout and ended at the Governor’s Office. The protesters had carried placards reading “No to Insecurity,” “Release Our Children Now,” and “School Should Be Safe.” Reverend Bunmi Thomas, addressing that crowd, had said, “The protest is not an attack on Governor Seyi Makinde. No reasonable teacher is fighting Governor Makinde. We appreciate his work, but we also expect regular information and urgent action regarding the rescue mission.”
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) had also mobilised its chapters nationwide for a solidarity and advocacy rally, scheduled for the same Monday, with plans to visit the affected schools and pay a courtesy call on the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Oyo State. In a letter of invitation addressed to all NANS structures, the association’s president, Akinteye Babatunde, described the prolonged captivity of the victims as “disturbing and unacceptable.” He added that it was “appalling that, till this day, the abducted students and teachers are yet to be rescued.” Akinteye declared that “silence is no longer golden; we must act decisively and forthwith.”
The Monday protest came just hours after Governor Seyi Makinde had appealed to residents and families of the victims not to take to the streets. On Sunday evening, the governor warned that public demonstrations could undermine ongoing rescue operations and embolden the abductors. Receiving the protesters on Friday, the governor’s Executive Assistant on Security Matters, retired Commissioner of Police Sunday Odukoya, had assured the teachers that the government was actively working to secure the victims’ release. “It is your constitutional right to protest and let the government know your concerns. This incident is unfortunate, but I want to assure you that the government is not folding its arms over the matter,” Odukoya said. He explained that certain operational details could not be disclosed so as not to jeopardise the rescue efforts. “Since this incident happened, Governor Seyi Makinde has been on top of the situation. I have personally visited the area several times, and both the traditional ruler in Esiele and residents of Yawota can attest to the government’s efforts,” he added. He also gave an assurance that no teacher would be harassed or victimised for participating in the protest.
Despite the governor’s plea, the civil society groups and teachers pressed ahead with their demonstration on Monday, insisting that the government had not done enough. The protest coincided with the indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) across all public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State, which also began on Monday. The strike effectively shuts down basic education in a state of over 10 million people, a powerful signal that the teachers’ patience has run out. As the protesters dispersed from the Mokola Roundabout in the early afternoon, their chants still echoing through the streets of Ibadan, the 46 victims of the Oriire abduction remained in captivity. The government’s newly announced deployment of a specialised rescue unit and the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards have not yet produced any breakthrough, and the teachers have made it clear that their strike will not end until every last captive is free.
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