The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State Wing, has said public schools in the state will not reopen until the government puts adequate security measures in place to guarantee the safety of teachers, students, and staff.
The union embarked on an indefinite strike following the abduction of over 40 students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15. Two teachers were also killed in the incident, heightening fears among education stakeholders.
Mr Olukayode Salami, NUT Oyo State Secretary, disclosed this in Ibadan on Tuesday while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He explained that the strike was necessitated by the prevailing insecurity, which has created fear, tension, and psychological trauma among teachers and learners. Many parents have reportedly begun withdrawing their children from schools.
“As much as we have casualties among learners in terms of abduction, we have higher casualties among teachers because two of them were killed. The continuous detention of victims in captivity is another factor of concern to all of us,” Salami stated.
The union leader noted that the NUT did not rush into the strike but acted when it became clear that the security situation had not improved. The union has set clear conditions for calling off the industrial action: the safe rescue of all abducted persons and the implementation of sustainable measures to prevent a recurrence.
Salami emphasised that schools must remain safe learning environments and should not be turned into targets by criminals. “If anybody has a grievance against government, such persons should address it with government and not resort to attacking schools and innocent people,” he said.
The union has held several meetings with government officials, resulting in a communiqué and action plans submitted for immediate implementation. Among the proposals are increased security patrols in vulnerable areas, especially forest-bordering local government areas, and the establishment of joint task forces involving conventional security agencies, hunters, and vigilante groups.
While acknowledging that schools cannot remain shut indefinitely, Salami stressed that visible improvements in security are needed to restore public confidence before teachers can return to the classrooms. He urged the state government to treat the matter with utmost urgency for the sake of education and public safety.
The indefinite closure of public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State continues as of June 23, 2026.
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com