‘The Rat Inside The House’ – Kwara NUT Reacts To Oyo School Abduction

Members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Kwara State wing, on Tuesday (today) joined the nationwide solidarity rally organised by the national body of the union to protest the abduction and continued captivity of teachers and pupils kidnapped from schools in Oyo State.

Naija News reports that the rally, held in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, was staged in solidarity with victims of the May 15, 2026, attack on schools in Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

During the attack, armed men invaded three schools and abducted 46 persons, including 39 students and seven teachers.

The incident sparked national outrage after reports emerged that a mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed by the kidnappers, while another teacher was reportedly killed during the initial attack.

The protesting teachers marched through parts of Ilorin with placards bearing different inscriptions to express their anger over the rising attacks on schools across the country.

Some of the placards read, “From Chibok to Oriire: Our children are still crying,” “We say no to attacks on schools,” “A nation that cannot protect its schools has no future,” and “Stop the killing and maiming of teachers in Nigeria.”

The demonstrators said the rally was aimed at drawing public attention to the condition of abducted teachers and students and the worsening insecurity affecting educational institutions.

They also called on the government to take urgent steps to safeguard schools, teachers and learners across the country.

Speaking with The PUNCH, the Deputy Secretary-General of the NUT in Kwara State, Mike Modesty, said the situation had become disturbing and unacceptable.

He lamented that the victims had remained in captivity since May 15, adding that the continued attacks on teachers and learners showed that the government had not done enough to protect schools.

He said, “They have been abducted since May 15. One teacher has been killed and the remaining ones are still in captivity. And we are hearing that the bandits want to negotiate. Negotiate what? The lives of our children and the teachers?”

Modesty said the Oyo incident was not isolated, noting that similar attacks had been recorded in other parts of the country.

‘There Are No Safe Schools’

The NUT official said attacks in Borno, Zamfara and other states had created fear among teachers, parents and pupils.

He warned that the growing trend could discourage learning, especially in rural communities where access to education was already limited.

He said, “A similar incident happened in Borno. Only last week, a teacher was kidnapped in Zamfara and was eventually killed even after ransom was paid. How do we continue like this? There are no safe schools.

“And you know the slogan of Boko Haram is that Western education is forbidden. With all that they are doing now, whether they call themselves bandits, Boko Haram or any other name, they have one mission: to make sure people no longer go to school.”

According to him, the repeated attacks on schools are not only a security threat but also an attack on the future of the country.

‘It Is The Rat Inside The House’

Modesty called on the government to rise to the occasion, but added that citizens also had a role to play in stopping criminal activities.

He said communities must be alert and ready to expose those aiding criminals.

He stated, “The solution right now is that government must rise up to the occasion. I wouldn’t say only government; individuals and every citizen must be ready. In Oyo State, we heard that while the attackers were moving into the school, some of them were speaking Yoruba and telling victims to enter. It is the rat inside the house that invites those outside to come in.”

The union leader said the insecurity had spread beyond schools, affecting traditional rulers, religious leaders, travellers and ordinary residents.

He added, “We were also told that even two wives of a traditional ruler were kidnapped. Is that not a sacrilege? Religious leaders are being kidnapped. This menace does not know blood relation, tribe or ethnicity. Nobody is really safe.”

Modesty also expressed concern over attacks on highways and communities, saying many Nigerians could no longer move freely because of fear of armed groups.

He said, “People travelling on highways are being dragged into forests after vehicles are stopped. One can no longer move freely. These criminal groups have littered every corner of the federation carrying out nefarious activities. We must be truthful to ourselves; government has not done enough.”

The Kwara NUT said the rally was part of a broader demand for the unconditional release of abducted pupils and teachers and the immediate strengthening of security around schools.

The union maintained that no child should be afraid to learn and no teacher should be afraid to enter the classroom.