The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest in Lokoja to condemn the increasing cases of schoolchildren abductions and attacks on educational institutions across the country.
The protest, organised in line with a directive from the national leadership of the union, was aimed at drawing attention to growing insecurity in schools, including the recent abduction of teachers and pupils in Oyo state and the kidnapping of 48 schoolchildren in Borno State.
Addressing members during the protest, the state chairman of the union, Comrade Abayomi Ayoola, expressed concern over the recurring attacks on schools, describing the situation as disturbing and traumatic for the education sector.
Ayoola said the union was particularly saddened by the recent abduction of teachers and pupils in Oyo State and called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the release of all victims still in captivity.
According to him, videos circulating online showing kidnapped victims have further heightened fear among citizens and exposed the security challenges facing schools and learning environments across the country.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen the nation’s security architecture through improved intelligence gathering, enhanced border surveillance and stronger collaboration with other countries in tracking and prosecuting criminal elements.
Ayoola also stressed the need for government at all levels to address unemployment, arguing that joblessness has continued to push many young people into criminal activities.
He noted that while teachers remain committed to moulding the character of children, religious leaders and organisations must also intensify campaigns promoting peace, tolerance, love and compassion in society.
“We, as members of the union, are appealing to the Federal Government to rejig the security architecture of the country. The issue of kidnappings on a daily basis is traumatic and saddening. It has cast a shadow of grief over the entire nation,” he said.
The NUT chairman warned that continued attacks on schools could discourage parents from enrolling their children in school and undermine efforts to improve access to education.
“The country needs to retrace its steps to avoid discouraging parents from sending their children to school. More jobs should be created, and clerics must continue to harp on kindness and peaceful coexistence,” he stated.
Speaking on ransom payments, Ayoola acknowledged the difficult decisions families often face when relatives are abducted, noting that kidnapping has become a profitable criminal enterprise.
He said many families would go to great lengths to secure the release of their loved ones, stressing the need for decisive government action to end the menace.
Concerns over school security have intensified following recent attacks on educational institutions in parts of the country.
In Oyo State, teachers and pupils were abducted during attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, while dozens of schoolchildren were also reportedly kidnapped in Borno state.