By Adesakin Adefemi
Teachers in public schools across Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State staged a peaceful protest on Monday, calling for urgent action to secure the release of colleagues and students abducted in a recent attack.
The demonstrators gathered in the early hours, carrying placards and singing solidarity songs as they marched through parts of the area. They urged both the state government and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts and prevent further attacks on schools.
Among the inscriptions on the placards were “Their deaths demand action,” “Say their name, remember their sacrifice,” and “Noble teachers gone too soon.” The messages reflected the grief and frustration felt by educators following the violence.
The protest came after gunmen on motorcycles invaded communities in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota axis of Oriire, Ogbomoso, on Friday. The attackers targeted Community High School Ahoro-Esiele, L.A. Primary School Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School, abducting students and staff.
The assault also left an assistant headmaster, Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist dead. Residents said the incident has left families and teachers in the affected communities shaken and fearful.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that seven teachers were abducted during the attack. He said authorities were still working to determine the exact number of missing pupils.
Makinde disclosed that a video received by the state government confirmed the killing of one of the abductees, identified as a mathematics teacher. “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,” he said.
The Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olushola Olayinka, said on Sunday that the command was aware of a viral video allegedly showing abducted school victims pleading for help. He stated that investigations into the incident had commenced.
Teachers at the protest said they would continue to press for action until their colleagues and students are released and adequate security measures are put in place. They called for increased deployment of personnel to schools in vulnerable areas across the state.
