Teachers say Nigeria's classrooms are under threat
Key Takeaways
- Hundreds of teachers and activists rallied in Lagos over the abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State.
- Union leaders said attacks on educators are putting Nigeria's future at risk.
- Protesters urged the government to secure the release of those kidnapped and improve school safety.
Educators rally in Lagos after abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State
Nigeria's education workers are warning that growing insecurity is putting both teachers and students at risk following the abduction of dozens of people from schools in Oyo State.
Hundreds of demonstrators joined a rally organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Lagos on Tuesday, calling for the release of 29 students and seven teachers kidnapped in Ogbomoso.
Protesters marched through the city carrying banners that read "The chalk must speak louder than the gun", "Kidnapping has no place in education" and "No teacher should die in service to humanity".
The demonstration ended outside the Lagos State House of Assembly, where security personnel were deployed around the premises.
Lagos State NUT Secretary Ayetoba Gbenga said the attack had claimed the life of one teacher and left others in captivity.
"A teacher was killed instantly, was gunned down, and another teacher said about seven teachers were taken into captivity and one of them was gruesomely murdered. What a pity," Gbenga said.
Labour leaders argued that attacks on educators threaten the future of the country.
"If we are killing the people that built our future, we have nothing to negotiate with the government. Government needs to employ the resources to ensure that these children and the teachers out there are released," said Ebenezer Ojo, Treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Lagos State.
Activist Aj Dagga Tolar called for government support for the affected families.
"Nigeria must provide scholarships for all of them. We are rich enough," he said, adding, "They must bring all our children back!"
The rally followed the reported abduction of 39 schoolchildren and seven staff members from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15.
The incident has renewed concerns about security in Nigerian schools, particularly in rural areas where protection measures remain limited.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
