Oyo Teachers Union Declines School Resumption Over Insecurity Concerns

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State has formally rejected the reopening of public schools, citing ongoing safety concerns following the mass abduction of students and staff in the Oriire Local Government Area.

The union’s decision follows a violent incident on May 15, 2026, during which armed attackers raided three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota communities, resulting in the abduction of over 40 individuals and the deaths of two teachers. Olukayode Salami, the union’s state secretary, explained that the strike is necessary to protect the lives of both educators and students, noting that the prevailing atmosphere of fear has caused significant psychological distress among the school community.

According to Salami, teachers will only return to the classroom once the government implements comprehensive security measures. The union has formally requested that the state intensify rescue efforts for those still in captivity and establish permanent security reinforcements in vulnerable areas, particularly those bordering forests. The NUT suggested that these measures should include increased joint security patrols involving conventional forces, local hunters, and community vigilante groups to prevent future attacks.

While acknowledging that classrooms cannot remain closed indefinitely, the union emphasized that the burden of ensuring a safe learning environment rests with the government. Union representatives have held several meetings with state officials and submitted an action plan, but they maintain that they are waiting to see tangible security improvements on the ground before calling off the industrial action.

In a related development, the Oyo State Police Command has officially dismissed a viral social media video alleging that the abducted victims had been transported to Kaduna State via helicopter. Police spokesperson Olayinka Ayanlade labeled the footage as “entirely false and misleading,” urging the public to disregard such disinformation. The command reaffirmed that intensive, coordinated rescue operations are ongoing and warned that those responsible for spreading malicious rumors could face legal consequences for obstructing security efforts.

Meanwhile, high-level discussions between the state government and security agencies are intensifying. The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, met with the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Olugbenga, on Tuesday to address the security situation. During the session, the Speaker emphasized the urgent need to secure porous border regions and strengthen intelligence gathering to protect students and residents from further harm.