The future of more than 52 million pupils and students in Nigeria’s primary and secondary schools hangs in the balance as worsening insecurity continues to disrupt access to education across the country.

Frequent attacks on schools, abduction of learners and teachers, and growing fears over safety have forced the closure of schools in several communities, leaving many children out of the classroom.

With about 15 million children already out of school and more than 80 pupils and teachers still in captivity following coordinated attacks in Oyo and Borno States, concerns are mounting that the crisis could deepen an already fragile education system.

The growing insecurity has also triggered outrage among some South-West socio-political, cultural and self-determination groups, which accused governors in the region of complacency and failure to confront the spread of terrorism, banditry and kidnappings across Yoruba land.

The groups alleged that while communities come under repeated attacks, farmers are displaced and residents killed or abducted, South-West governors have continued to rely on routine security meetings and public statements without decisive action to stem the violence.

Meanwhile, checks on the websites of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) indicate that, as of yesterday, Nigeria has more than 47 million pupils enrolled in basic education and over 5.5 million students in secondary schools.

Stakeholders also noted that the development has grave consequences for the country’s 217,054 public and private schools at both basic and senior secondary levels.

The worsening situation has also sparked growing concerns among education stakeholders, culminating in nationwide protests by members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

From Oyo, Borno, Lagos, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Kano, Taraba, Ogun, Kwara, Plateau, Kebbi, Niger, Abia to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), teachers yesterday, took to the streets to condemn the rising spate of abductions and attacks on schools, while calling on the federal, state governments and security agencies to take urgent and decisive measures to guarantee the safety of learners, teachers, and educational facilities.

The union warned that unless concrete steps are taken to address insecurity, the country’s efforts to improve access to quality education, meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 4), which centres on quality education for all, and reduce the number of out-of-school children could suffer a major setback.

The protest followed a directive from the national leadership of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), contained in a circular dated May 29, 2026, and signed by the union’s President, Audu Amba, and Secretary, Clinton Ikpitibo.

The circular mandated all state chapters to stage solidarity rallies to draw attention to the worsening insecurity affecting schools.

Speaking at the protest in Abuja, the State NUT Chairman, FCT Wing, Abdullahi Shafa, said the demonstration was aimed at drawing the attention of government at all levels to the growing threat posed by insecurity to the education sector.

He expressed concerns over the increasing cases of abduction of students and teachers, noting that the trend had created fear among learners, parents and education workers, while also disrupting academic activities in many parts of the country.

According to him, schools should remain safe spaces for learning and development, stressing that no child should have to choose between getting an education and staying alive.

Shafa called on the Federal Government and security agencies to strengthen security around schools, improve intelligence gathering, and ensure the full implementation of the Safe School Initiative (SSI) to protect students and education personnel.

He further urged authorities to bring perpetrators of school attacks to justice, saying that decisive action was necessary to restore confidence in the nation’s education system and guarantee the safety of children in schools.

In Oyo, the state chapters of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday held a protest against the abduction of students and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking during the protest held at the Oyo State Governor’s Office, the National President of NANS, Babatunde Afeez, said members of the association from across the 36 states and the FCT were there to demand the release of the abducted victims.

He described the abductors as “monsters” and called on Nigerians to unite against what he termed a common enemy.

Similarly, the NUT, Kano State chapter, joined other stakeholders in expressing concern over the worsening security situation in the country and urged authorities to take immediate steps to curb rising insecurity and safeguard lives and property.

In Taraba and Lagos States, members of the NUT and students also joined the nationwide protests over the kidnapping incident in Oyo, aligning with similar actions across the country.

They called on the government to fulfil its constitutional duty by ensuring the safe rescue of the abducted students and teachers, while also strengthening security in schools nationwide.

In Edo State, union members, led by the state NUT Chairman, Lucky Imarouagheru, marched from the Labour House through major streets in Benin City to express their anger over the May 15 attack in Oyo State.

Addressing teachers who staged a protest at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Secretariat in Area 11, yesterday, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, assured that the government shares the pain and anxiety of families affected by recent abductions and remains closely engaged with efforts by security agencies to secure the release of those still being held.

The minister also warned against politicising insecurity, noting that the challenge affects every part of the country and requires a united national response rather than partisan divisions.

“No government would intentionally allow its citizens to be kidnapped. We understand the realities we face, and every possible effort is being made to address the situation and secure the release of those affected,” Wike added.

With over 11,500 schools across Nigeria shut down between December 2020 and 2024 due to widespread violence, banditry, and mass abductions, experts lamented that continued attacks on schools could lead to the closure of educational institutions, particularly in rural and conflict-prone communities.

They also warned that the rising wave of insecurity targeting schools across the country poses a significant threat to the success of SSI, a 2014 programme established to protect learners, teachers and educational facilities from attacks and ensure uninterrupted access to education.

They noted that persistent incidents of school invasions, kidnappings and killings of teachers are eroding public confidence in the safety of schools and undermining efforts to keep children in classrooms.

According to them, disruptions to academic activities not only affect learning outcomes but also threaten national and international targets to improve access to quality education.

In a chat with The Guardian, Adaramoye Michael, National Mobilisation Officer of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), urged the government to prioritise the safe rescue of abducted students and teachers to restore confidence in school safety. He warned that persistent attacks on schools are worsening Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis and called for stronger security measures involving security agencies and local vigilante groups.

Also, Public affairs analyst Patrick Nzeh called for stronger school security through better funding, intelligence gathering and collaboration between security agencies and communities. He warned that persistent attacks and failure to arrest kidnappers could destroy confidence in education, worsen insecurity and undermine efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children.

Yoruba groups accuse S’West govs of complacency amid violent attacks

Some South-West socio-political and self-determination groups have accused governors in the region of failing to tackle rising insecurity, alleging that repeated attacks, kidnappings and displacement of residents continue despite routine security meetings and official statements.

They warned that governors in the region can no longer hide behind excuses or shift responsibility to federal security agencies, insisting that any further loss of lives and property arising from insecurity should be laid squarely at the doorstep of the political leadership of the South-West.

According to them, the recurring attacks on communities across Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and parts of Lagos state expose a dangerous gap between the huge security votes received by state governments and the level of protection available to citizens.

The groups noted that Oyo State has witnessed a disturbing rise in bandit and kidnapping activities, including the deadly attack on forest guards at Old Oyo National Park and repeated incursions into communities in the Oke-Ogun axis. There have also been reports of attacks on schools and abductions in parts of the state, heightening fears among residents.

In Ogun State, security agencies recently dismantled a kidnappers’ camp in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area and rescued three abducted victims, highlighting the growing threat posed by criminal gangs operating within forests and border communities.

Ondo State has also remained vulnerable to violent attacks and kidnappings in several communities, while the memory of the deadly attack on worshippers at Owo continues to underscore the fragile security situation in the state. Recent security reports have further raised concerns about the activities of armed groups seeking footholds in forest reserves and remote communities.

Similarly, Osun State authorities have repeatedly raised alarms over attempted infiltration by bandits into border communities, while military-backed operations have been launched in parts of the state following attacks and abductions in vulnerable settlements.

The groups described the political leaders’ response to these threats as grossly inadequate, arguing that public pronouncements have not translated into concrete actions to protect lives and property.

They therefore called on the Yoruba people to demand accountability from their governors, particularly regarding the utilisation of billions of naira allocated as security votes and other resources earmarked for safeguarding citizens.

According to the groups, citizens have a right to know how security funds are being spent and why insecurity continues to escalate despite huge allocations and repeated assurances from government officials.

Expressing deep concern over the deteriorating situation, spokesman of Yoruba Leaders of Thought, Mr Bayo Aina, said it was becoming increasingly clear that Southwest governors possess far greater capacity to confront insecurity than they have demonstrated.

He warned that continued indifference by political leaders could have grave consequences for the future of Yoruba land.

“It is obvious that the governors can do far more than they are presently doing. If the necessary authorities continue to remain nonchalant while criminal elements tighten their grip on our forests and communities, they are effectively mortgaging the future of Yoruba land and its people to armed invaders and foreign criminals,” he said.

Aina argued that the persistent attacks across the region should not be viewed as isolated incidents.

“There are two major objectives behind these incessant attacks. The first is to dominate and seize control of the vast economic resources with which God has blessed Yoruba land. The second is to impose foreign cultural and religious influences on the region through intimidation and violent occupation,” he alleged.

He also accused some traditional rulers and influential individuals of failing to provide the leadership needed to confront the growing threat, and alleged that a few compromised elements have collaborated with criminal networks operating in the region.

Chairman of the Afenifere Renewal Group, Mr Wale Oshun, lamented that numerous recommendations submitted by Yoruba organisations on how to tackle insecurity had been ignored.

Speaking in a video message circulated on social media, Oshun noted that several stakeholders had repeatedly proposed practical solutions, including strengthening local security structures and improving intelligence gathering.

“Many Yoruba organisations have offered practical suggestions on how to stem this dangerous tide, but those recommendations have largely been ignored,” he said.

He added: “Even if one refuses to see these attacks as politically motivated, the question remains: what concrete political actions are the governors taking to solve the problem?”

The groups further claimed that Yorubaland possesses thousands of trained youths who could be mobilised and equipped to support existing security structures in protecting vulnerable communities, forests and border areas.

They alleged that organisations such as the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), under both the late Dr Frederick Fasehun and Aare Gani Adams factions, had repeatedly sought support from South-West governors to strengthen community-based security operations but received little response.

They also pointed to several public interventions by the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland and policy recommendations from the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, including calls for state police and enhanced regional security collaboration, which they said remain largely unimplemented.

The groups dismissed the recurring argument that governors lack operational control over federal security agencies.

One of the leaders, who spoke anonymously, described the excuse as “a convenient alibi for inaction.”

“Nobody is asking governors to command the Army or the Police. What people are asking is why available resources have not been deployed effectively to secure communities. There are practical measures that can be taken immediately if the political will exists,” he said.

The source disclosed that several Yoruba leaders had warned South-West governors about the possible spillover of bandit activities from neighbouring states long before attacks intensified in parts of Oyo and other states.

CAN urges FG to declare state of emergency on security

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on security amid rising cases of kidnapping and attacks on churches, schools and vulnerable communities across the country.

CAN also urged Nigerians to defend themselves within the reasonable limits of the law.

The President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, made the call yesterday in Abuja at the 2026 National Church Leaders Summit themed, “The State of the Nation and the Way Forward.”

Okoh expressed concern over what he described as the increasing sophistication of criminal networks and the inability of existing security arrangements to adequately protect citizens.

He called for a comprehensive review of the nation’s security architecture, enhanced intelligence gathering, stronger inter-agency collaboration, improved operational effectiveness and greater accountability in tackling terrorism, banditry and violent crimes.

“He added that CAN condemned “in the strongest terms” the acts of murder, beheading, torture, rape, abduction and forced displacement being perpetrated against innocent citizens.

Abducted pupils: Sowore threatens protest at Aso Rock Villa

Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, yesterday joined residents and teachers protesting over the abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State, demanding their immediate release.

In a video circulating online, Sowore was seen addressing protesters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he pledged continued support for the demonstration.

The activist accused the presidency of failing in its responsibility to protect the lives and property of citizens.

“We are not begging anybody. We are just asking people who claim they are elected to protect to do their work,” Sowore said during the protest.

He criticised the deployment of security personnel to monitor protesters rather than safeguard schools against attacks by kidnappers.

Sowore called for collective action against insecurity, warning that the protests would continue until the abducted children were rescued.

He further warned: “On Thursday, we are going to Aso Rock Villa if the children are not rescued. You cannot claim to be president of Nigeria and refuse to do the job of the commander of the armed forces.”

Parents of abducted schoolchildren reject cash, rice in Oyo community

Parents of schoolchildren abducted by gunmen in Yawota, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, have rejected relief materials and cash brought by government officials, insisting on the safe return of their children.

The traditional ruler of the community, Baale Emmanuel Alade, disclosed this in a video interview circulated online, where he recounted the attack and the reaction of residents after the incident.

According to the monarch, he noticed suspicious movements in the community shortly before the attack occurred.

He added that gunshots later rang out across the community, forcing residents to flee.

The monarch said the attackers abducted several pupils and teachers during the raid.

Baale Alade further disclosed that government officials later visited the community with relief materials, including bags of rice and cash donations, accompanied by women said to be members of Governor Seyi Makinde’s team.

However, he said the distraught parents rejected the items, maintaining that their priority was the safe return of the abducted children.

In his words: “They came with rice and money, but they rejected it, saying they want their children released.” (The Guardian)

Update news