Teachers took to the streets Tuesday in a sharp, noisy show of anger over attacks on schools and the abduction of pupils and staff, demanding urgent action to secure learning across the country.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) organised protests in Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Sokoto, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory and other areas. The demonstrations followed the May abductions of more than 80 students and teachers in Borno and Oyo.
On May 14, suspected Boko Haram fighters attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba, Borno, taking over 40 children, including toddlers, and reportedly using them as human shields. That same day gunmen struck three schools in Ahoro‑Esiele, Oyo, abducting about 46 pupils and staff; two teachers were later killed.
NUT National President Comrade Audu Titus Amba warned: “An attack on teachers is an attack on education, and an attack on education is an attack on the future of Nigeria,” and criticised the Safe Schools Initiative as ineffective. The NSCDC says over 60,000 of Nigeria’s 81,000+ schools lack basic security; its new Smart School Protection Strategy and special squads have reportedly thwarted more than 110 threats, but the Corps did not respond to requests for comment.
Scenes at protests were tense. In Borno, NUT members stormed the Government House. NUT publicity secretary Yusuf Tom said, “Children deserve protection. We want the government to intensify efforts in rescuing these children, teachers and colleagues in Borno and other states,” while families in Oyo rejected rice and cash, insisting on the return of their children: “The women who are government officials on Governor Seyi Makinde’s team came to console us… They said what they wanted was for their children to be released,” said Baale Emmanuel Alade.
“Nigeria would remain “captive” for as long as the abducted children remained in the hands of their captors,” the Senate warned. The House of Representatives pressed for immediate rescues and security reforms. Nationwide, the NUT warned of tougher action if schools are not made safe.
