Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Oyo State Government has made a passionate appeal to the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) to suspend its ongoing indefinite strike and allow public schools across the state to reopen, warning that the prolonged shutdown is creating severe social and economic consequences for thousands of families. The appeal, announced on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, following a State Executive Council meeting, comes more than 40 days after the abduction of 46 people—39 pupils and seven teachers—from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area. The teachers' union, however, has remained firm, insisting that schools will stay shut until the government implements concrete security measures to guarantee the safety of educators and learners.
The abduction, which occurred on May 15, 2026, targeted Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele. The attackers, suspected to be bandits operating from the nearby Old Oyo National Park, beheaded a mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, in captivity in a viral video that sent shockwaves across the state. Another teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed during the initial attack. The trauma of the incident, compounded by the continued captivity of the victims and the murder of two educators, has created a climate of fear that the NUT says makes it impossible for teachers to return to their posts.
In response to the crisis, the NUT's national leadership declared an indefinite strike on May 29, directing all public primary and secondary school teachers in Oyo State to withdraw their services from June 1 until the abducted victims are safely released and security is restored. The union's Oyo State secretary, Olukayode Salami, has since outlined two non-negotiable conditions for ending the industrial action: the safe rescue of all kidnapped teachers and students, and the implementation of concrete security measures to prevent future attacks on schools. "As much as we have casualties among learners in terms of abduction, we have higher casualties among teachers because two of them were killed," Salami said, underscoring the heightened risk faced by educators.
Addressing the union's demands, Commissioner Oyelade acknowledged the legitimacy of the teachers' concerns but appealed for a broader perspective. "While the reasons for the withdrawal of the students from school by the NUT are understandable, the collateral implications, both social and economic, are raising unintended concerns and should equally be considered by the NUT," he stated. He assured that the government was taking strategic steps to secure the release of the abducted victims and improve security across affected communities. However, the government has so far not provided a concrete timeline for the victims' rescue or detailed the specific security measures it plans to implement, leaving the union and anxious parents in a state of uncertainty.
To demonstrate its commitment to education despite the crisis, the Executive Council approved N8.76 billion as the first tranche for the procurement of teaching and learning materials for primary and junior secondary schools across the state. The funds are part of a larger N23 billion education intervention project being implemented in partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission and the World Bank. The materials will cover core subjects such as Mathematics, English Language, Literacy, Numeracy, and Basic Science. Oyelade noted that successful implementation would make Oyo State eligible for additional performance-based funding of $2 per student per subject. The council also approved an upward review of the 2026 budget from N892 billion to N1.102 trillion to support the completion of ongoing projects.
For the families of the 46 abducted victims, the wait continues. The teachers' strike has already disrupted the final weeks of the school term, affecting thousands of pupils. Parents and stakeholders have voiced growing frustration, calling for urgent action to prevent further attacks on schools. The NUT has reiterated that its position is not irreversible, with Salami stating, "No condition is permanent, and no decision is permanent. Once meaningful measures are put in place, there will be a need to review the position". For now, Oyo's classrooms remain empty, and the fate of the abducted victims hangs in the balance, as the government and the teachers' union remain locked in a tense standoff over the safety of Nigeria's schools.
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