Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Taraba State chapter, in collaboration with students from various schools in Jalingo, staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, demanding the immediate and safe release of the 46 pupils, students and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on 15 May 2026. The protesters marched from Barde Way through major streets of Jalingo to the TY Danjuma House, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Stop Kidnapping,” “Protect Our Schools,” “Education Under Attack,” and “Teachers Build the Nation.”
The protest was part of a nationwide solidarity rally organised by the NUT in response to the growing wave of kidnappings targeting schools and education workers across the country. The Taraba chapter’s action came hours after the national leadership of the union directed all state wings to hold solidarity rallies on Tuesday. In the state capital, teachers and students converged at the government facility to express solidarity with their counterparts in Oyo State and to demand urgent action to secure the release of the victims. They also called on the Federal Government and security agencies to adopt stronger measures to protect schools from further attacks.
Addressing the protesters, Governor Agbu Kefas, represented by the Commissioner for Vocational and Secondary Education, Dr Augustina Godwin, condemned the abduction, describing it as a barbaric and unacceptable act. “This unfortunate incident is condemnable and unacceptable. The lives of these innocent children and their teachers are precious and must not be subjected to the activities of criminals. We call on security agencies to intensify efforts and ensure their safe rescue,” she said. She reiterated the commitment of the Taraba State Government to the safety of schools and residents across the state, adding that “education can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and security.”
Also speaking, the Head of Service, Hamidu Kara, said the Kefas administration places a high premium on education and has continued to invest significantly in the sector. “His Excellency believes that education remains the most powerful tool for societal transformation. The investments being made today may take time to fully manifest, but the results will certainly speak for themselves in the near future,” Kara stated. He assured the teachers that their concerns and demands would be communicated directly to the governor.
Earlier, the Chairman of the NUT in Taraba State, Comrade Nathan Solomon, said the union was deeply saddened by the recurring attacks on schools across the country, particularly the recent abduction in Oyo State. Represented by the chairperson of the Nigeria Women in Education Network, Mrs Gloria Kachibiri, Solomon said the protest was organised in solidarity with the victims and their families. “The entire teaching profession is pained by this incident. Schools are meant to be centres of learning and character formation, not places of fear and insecurity. We are demanding the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted students and their teachers,” he said. He further noted that the national leadership of the union had already issued a statement urging security agencies to expedite action toward rescuing the victims and preventing future attacks on educational institutions. “We cannot continue to expose our children and teachers to danger. Government at all levels must strengthen security around schools and ensure that learning takes place in a safe environment,” he added.
The Chief of Staff to Governor Agbu Kefas, Dr Jeji Williams, described the protest as a patriotic demonstration of concern for the future of education in Nigeria. “This is not just about Oyo State. It is about the safety of every Nigerian child. What the teachers and students are doing today is a reflection of our collective responsibility to speak against insecurity and demand protection for our schools,” Williams said.
The protest in Taraba was one of several solidarity actions held across the country on Tuesday. In Lagos, hundreds of teachers marched from Ikeja to the Lagos State House of Assembly, where they were received by Speaker Mudasiru Obasa, who described state policing as a lasting solution to the country’s security challenges. In Akwa Ibom, teachers also withdrew classroom services to join the nationwide rally demanding the release of the abducted teachers and pupils. The NUT has also declared an indefinite strike across all public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State, which began on Monday, 1 June, with full compliance reported in Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Iseyin, Saki and other towns. Only candidates sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and teachers assigned to invigilation duties have been allowed into school premises.
The abduction that sparked the nationwide protests occurred on 15 May 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 killed an assistant headmaster, Mr. Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist, before forcing 39 pupils and seven teachers into the bush. A mathematics teacher, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded in a viral video that sparked national outrage. Among the abducted teachers is the principal of Community High School, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, who has since appeared in a desperate video from captivity begging the government to negotiate for their release. A two‑year‑old toddler, Christianah Akanbi, is also among the captives.
As of Tuesday, 2 June 2026, the 46 victims remain in captivity, and no rescue breakthrough has been announced. The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed that six suspects believed to be informants have been arrested, but the actual abductors are still at large. President Bola Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Oyo State and the deployment of a specialised rescue unit, but the measures have yet to yield results. The nationwide protests and the indefinite strike in Oyo State continue, as teachers and civil society groups intensify pressure on the government to bring the 46 captives home.
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