Teachers on Tuesday staged protests across several states over attacks on schools and the abduction of students and educators, calling for urgent action to secure learning institutions nationwide.
The demonstrations, organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), were held in Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Sokoto, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory and other parts of the country.
The protests were triggered by the abduction of more than 80 students and teachers in Borno and Oyo states in May.
On May 14, suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting over 40 children, including toddlers. The attackers reportedly used the children as human shields while fleeing.
On the same day, gunmen invaded Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esiele, Oyo State, abducting pupils and teachers. Two teachers were later killed by their captors.
The incidents are the latest in a series of attacks on schools since the 2014 abduction of more than 270 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State.
Despite the federal government’s Safe Schools Initiative, educational institutions have remained vulnerable to attacks by terrorists and kidnappers.
Speaking during the protest in Abuja, NUT National President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted teachers and students, warning that continued attacks threaten the future of education and national development.
“An attack on teachers is an attack on education, and an attack on education is an attack on the future of Nigeria,” he said.
Amba noted that the victims had remained in captivity for more than two weeks, while the killing of two abducted teachers in Oyo underscored the urgency of securing the release of those still being held.
He also criticised the Safe Schools Initiative, launched after the Chibok abduction, saying it had failed to adequately protect schools. According to him, attacks have continued across several states despite measures introduced under the programme.
The union urged the federal government to review the initiative, address its shortcomings and strengthen security around schools. It also called on Nigerians to support efforts aimed at creating safe learning environments for teachers and students.
Major school abductions in Nigeria from 2023 to 2026
Nigeria has continued to grapple with recurring attacks on educational institutions, with multiple mass abductions recorded between 2023 and 2026 across different states.
January 2023: Six pupils were abducted from the Local Government Education Authority Primary School, Alwaza, in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. Two of the students were rescued the following day, while the remaining four spent about two weeks in captivity before their release.
September 2023: In Zamfara State, about 24 students were reportedly kidnapped from their hostel in Sabon Gida. In a separate incident within the same month, Kano State also experienced a mass abduction involving about 20 students.
October 2023: Gunmen attacked a student lodge belonging to Nasarawa State University, Keffi, abducting at least four students during the assault on October 10.
January 2024: On January 30, armed men attacked a school bus belonging to Apostolic Faith Secondary School in Ekiti State, abducting pupils, a teacher, and the driver. The pupils and teacher were rescued after four days, while the driver was found dead.
