The protest followed the recent abduction of 39 students and seven teachers during coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The affected institutions include Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esinele, as well as Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota.
One of the abducted teachers, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher at Community Grammar School, was reportedly killed by the attackers.
Marching through major streets of Abeokuta, protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as “Set our teachers and pupils free,” “Stop attacks on schools,” “Unchain our children, unchain Nigeria’s destiny,” and “Government must rise to its security responsibilities.”
They also sang solidarity songs while addressing members of the public with megaphones.
In addition to organised labour and civil society groups, a coalition of youths on Monday united to lend their voices against the menace of insecurity and the growing trend of school abductions, calling for collective action to protect children and safeguard education across the country.
Speaking during the protest, the National Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Comrade Yinka Folarin, urged security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted victims and prioritise the protection of lives.
He said the demonstration was also aimed at awakening public consciousness and encouraging citizens to join the fight against violence and terrorism.
“We are not supposed to live in fear in our own country. Government must create an enabling environment, while citizens support efforts to maintain peace and security. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, and this is why Nigerians must speak for the voiceless,” Folarin said.
The National President of NUT, Comrade Titus Amba, represented by the National Vice President, Comrade Titilope Adebanjo, lamented that teachers and students now attend school in fear.
He appealed to Bola Tinubu to treat the situation as a matter of urgency and ensure the immediate release of all abducted persons.
“Ours is an education system under siege. Teachers are afraid, students are afraid. This is not how learning should take place,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Ogun State NLC Chairman, Comrade Hameed Benco, warned that the protest was a signal to the federal government, stressing that more drastic actions could follow if decisive steps were not taken.
He called on residents to support security efforts by remaining vigilant and reporting suspicious activities.
The Ogun State Chairman of NUT, Comrade Sewakanu Oladipupo, echoed the call for strengthened security architecture nationwide, describing the period as traumatic for teachers and parents alike.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives in Ogun State, Comrade Adejoke Bello, expressed concern over the psychological and emotional trauma faced by the abducted children, noting that no child should be subjected to such experiences.
The protesters unanimously called on all tiers of government to act swiftly to end school abductions and restore confidence in Nigeria’s education system.
