Insecurity: Kwara Teachers Take to Streets, Demand Action Over Oyo Abductions

The Kwara State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers recently staged a solidarity rally in Ilorin, the state capital, to condemn the abduction of teachers and students from schools in Oyo State. This rally was part of a nationwide protest organised by the National Union of Teachers to draw attention to the plight of victims of school attacks and to demand urgent action from the government to safeguard schools across the country. The protesters marched through parts of Ilorin, carrying placards with various inscriptions, including 'From Chibok to Oriire: Our children are still crying,' 'We say no to attacks on schools,' 'A nation that cannot protect its schools has no future,' and 'Stop the killing and maiming of teachers in Nigeria.' The Deputy Secretary-General of the NUT in Kwara State, Mike Modesty, lamented the worsening state of insecurity in the country, accusing the government of failing to adequately protect schools, teachers, and students. He cited the recent abduction of 46 persons, including 39 students and seven teachers, from three schools in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as part of a growing pattern of attacks on educational institutions. Modesty expressed concern over the psychological trauma being endured by families of the abducted victims and stressed that many of the children may require extensive rehabilitation if eventually rescued. He urged the government to rise up to the occasion and seek international assistance from countries with proven expertise in tackling terrorism and kidnapping if local efforts are proving insufficient. Modesty also linked the rising wave of criminality to worsening economic hardship, noting that hunger and poverty were fuelling various forms of crime across the country. He suggested that the union might consider shutting down schools nationwide to compel stronger government action if the situation continues to deteriorate. The NUT has called on anyone with a genuine solution to the insecurity challenge to come forward and work with authorities to tackle the menace.