One Month After, Oyo Schoolchildren, Teachers Remain In Captivity 

• As Nigerians, Civil Society Leaders Mount Pressure On Govt
• Worsening Insecurity Capable Of Affecting 2027 Polls – CSO

One month after gunmen stormed three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers, the victims remain in captivity, raising fresh concerns about the worsening state of insecurity in the country and the government’s capacity to protect vulnerable citizens.

NAIJAONPOINT reports that the attack, which occurred on May 15, saw armed men invade schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communities, killing at least one teacher and abducting scores of pupils and education workers.

Weeks later, Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed that intelligence reports indicated that the victims were still being held within the vast Old Oyo National Park, where security agencies have continued rescue operations.

The prolonged captivity of the children has triggered outrage across the country, with parents, civil society organisations, labour groups and education stakeholders demanding urgent action to secure their release.

It was gathered that the incident has also revived fears that mass school abductions, once largely associated with northern Nigeria, are spreading to other parts of the country.

As at the time of filing this report, security agencies have arrested a number of suspects and alleged informants linked to the kidnapping network, but none of the children has been rescued, leaving affected families in anguish as the days continue to pass.

• As Nigerians, Civil Society Leaders Mount Pressure On Govt

Nationwide concerns over the abduction featured prominently during the June 12 Democracy Day protests held across parts of the country monitored by NAIJAONPOINT, where demonstrators accused government at all levels of failing to guarantee the security of lives and property.

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), who joined a coalition of civil society groups that organised the protests, said Democracy Day could not be meaningfully celebrated while citizens lived under the constant threat of violence, kidnapping and economic hardship.

According to Falana, the continued captivity of schoolchildren in Oyo State and similar incidents across the country underscored the urgent need for authorities to prioritise security and restore public confidence in governance.

The coalition also demanded decisive action against rising insecurity, unemployment and worsening living conditions.

In Abuja, activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, led protesters who demanded the immediate release of abducted schoolchildren and an end to what they described as government indifference to the plight of ordinary Nigerians.

The protest was later disrupted by security operatives who fired teargas at demonstrators.

Several speakers at June 12 events in Osun State also expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation, warning that persistent attacks on schools, farms and communities were threatening public trust in democratic governance and weakening citizens’ confidence in state institutions.

The protesters under the umbrella of Osun Civil Societies’ Coalition (OCSC) including Take It Back movement, Coalition against Insecurity and Bad Governance, FIWON, specifically demanded the immediate rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.

Wole Oladapo of Nigerians for Good Governance and Saka Waheed of Dialogue 365 also called for urgent intervention to address insecurity in the country.

Oladapo said insecurity across the country was already affecting economic activities, adding that both federal and state governments had failed in their responsibility to protect citizens.

Comrade Waheed Lawal, who read the protest demands, said the march was not only about insecurity but also against worsening economic conditions in the country.

–              Worsening Insecurity Capable Of Affecting 2027 Polls – CSO

Speaking with NAIJAONPOINT, Spokesperson of the Centre for Social Justice and Public Protection (CSJPP), Comrade Akin Akanji, described the continued captivity of the Oyo schoolchildren as a national tragedy and a damning indictment of Nigeria’s security architecture.

Akanji said, “It is unacceptable that almost one month after these innocent pupils and their teachers were abducted, they are still in captivity. Every additional day they spend in the hands of their captors represents a failure of the state to discharge its primary responsibility of protecting lives and property.

“The emotional trauma being experienced by parents and families cannot be quantified. These are children who left home in search of education and have become victims of a security crisis that has continued to spread across the country.”

The activist warned that the growing wave of insecurity could significantly shape political discourse ahead of the 2027 general elections if governments at all levels fail to demonstrate greater capacity to protect citizens.

“Insecurity is no longer a regional challenge; it has become a national emergency. If the situation persists, security will undoubtedly become one of the defining issues of the 2027 elections. Citizens are already questioning the ability of leaders to guarantee their safety, and that concern will reflect in political decisions and voter behaviour,” Akanji stated.

He called on the Federal Government, security agencies and state authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers, prosecute those responsible for the crime and implement long-term measures to safeguard schools, warning that failure to do so could further undermine public confidence in democratic institutions and national security.