Public school teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State took to the streets on Monday, May 18, in a peaceful protest, pressing authorities to urgently secure the release of colleagues and students abducted during last Friday’s attack.
The protest began early in the day, with participants carrying placards and singing solidarity songs as they appealed to security agencies and the state government to intensify rescue operations.
Several of the placards conveyed grief and frustration, bearing messages such as “Their deaths demand action”, “Say their name, remember their sacrifice”, and “Noble teachers gone too soon.”
The demonstration followed a violent incursion by gunmen who stormed communities within the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota axis of Oriire in Ogbomoso.
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During the attack, students and staff from Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School were taken away.
The attack also resulted in the deaths of an assistant headmaster, Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that seven teachers were abducted, while efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of missing pupils.
“What we know is that seven teachers in all were abducted and unfortunately, we got a video this morning that one of the teachers, the maths teacher, was killed by the terrorists this morning,” Makinde said.
Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olushola Olayinka, disclosed on Sunday that the command had begun investigating a viral video believed to show some of the abducted schoolchildren pleading for help.
He said the police were working to verify the footage and advance efforts to locate the victims.
The protest highlights mounting concern among residents and the education community, as families continue to await decisive action from authorities amid rising insecurity in the area.