The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, has called for the immediate and safe release of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in recent attacks in Oyo and Borno states.

Fall made the call after meeting with a delegation from the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre in Abuja, led by Dr Samuel Umanah.

In a statement on Thursday, the UN official expressed concern over the growing insecurity affecting schools and learning communities across the country, describing the attacks as a threat to education and child protection.

The meeting reviewed security challenges facing schools and conveyed solidarity with affected families, school authorities and communities.

In Oyo State, gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area and abducted more than 40 pupils and seven teachers on May 15.

The affected schools were Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community High School, Ahoro-Esienle; and L.A. Primary School. Two teachers were killed during the incident.

A similar attack occurred in Mussa, Borno State, where gunmen stormed three schools and abducted over 40 children, most of them between two and five years old.

Fall described the abductions as deeply disturbing, stressing that schools should remain safe places for learning.

“Schools must remain safe havens for learning and not places of fear. Children should never be a target,” he said.

He urged authorities to intensify efforts to secure the safe return of all abducted victims and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

Fall also reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting safe, inclusive and violence-free learning environments, while advocating stronger implementation of safe school standards and improved emergency response mechanisms to protect children and educational facilities.

Oyo Assembly rejects negotiation with bandits

The Oyo State House of Assembly rejected suggestions and calls that the state government should negotiate with the bandits who abducted teachers and students in Oriire LGA.

It, however, called for intensified rescue operations to secure the release of victims abducted during the attack.

This resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance by the lawmaker representing Oriire State Constituency, Johnson Ogundele, during plenary.

The Assembly called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the State Universal Basic Education Board to immediately conduct security audits of schools located near forests and border settlements across the state.

“The Assembly equally rejects suggestions and calls that the State Government should negotiate with the bandits who abducted teachers and students during the coordinated attack at the community in Oriire Local Government Area of the state, on Friday, May 15, 2026.”

The Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, while insisting that the Assembly would not support any move to negotiate with the kidnappers, said: “To bring these children and teachers back, if it is up to you, will you negotiate with terrorists if terrorists ask for weapons, they ask for money, they ask for concessions on future laws of this land as part of their ransom?

“If you were the governor, would you accept those ransoms? Will you accept that those people should be accepted into that community?”

However, Ogundoyin maintained that negotiating with armed groups would only embolden them and encourage future attacks.

“The more you negotiate with these people, the more you embolden them,” he said.

He argued that yielding to the kidnappers’ demands would send the wrong signal and further worsen the security situation.

Daily Trust reports that Makinde had said his government was willing to listen to the grievances of the abductors if such dialogue would aid the swift and safe return of the victims.

He, however, declared that his administration would not surrender to terror.

Parents of Borno pupils: We’re given wrong number to contact abductors

Parents of the 42 pupils abducted from Mussa community in Borno State said they remain in anguish 21 days after the incident, with no information about the whereabouts or condition of their children.

The parents said neither the kidnappers nor any group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, leaving families trapped in uncertainty and fear.

Speaking to our correspondent, one of the parents, Saleh Buba, whose two children were among those kidnapped, described the situation as deeply troubling.

“Till today, nobody has claimed responsibility. The most disturbing thing is that we do not know where the children are being kept. One of my children is just one year and seven months old,” he said.

Buba said a man had provided them with a telephone number believed to belong to a Boko Haram commander who might have information about the children’s location.

However, repeated attempts to reach the number over the past two weeks have failed.

“We were told the number belonged to someone who might know where the children are, but it has not been connected. We still have no clue about their whereabouts,” he said.

The councillor representing Mussa ward, Peter Haruna Waba, said families had endured weeks of emotional distress without any updates on the victims.

Chairman of the abducted children’s parents, Ishaku Jidai, said the group had presented its concerns to the Emir of Askira and appealed for broader support to secure the children’s release.

A parent, Rebekah Bulus, said many families were battling anxiety-related health problems, including hypertension, and appealed to the state and federal governments to intensify efforts to secure the release of the children, especially the toddlers among them.

Protest in Abuja over abductions as security agents tighten access to Aso Rock

Protesters under the Take-It-Back Movement on Thursday marched through parts of Abuja, demanding the immediate rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo and Borno states, amid heavy security deployment around the Presidential Villa.

The demonstrators, led by activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, chanted slogans such as “Bring Back Our Children Now,” “Rescue or Resign Now,” and “Tinubu must go,” calling for urgent government action on the worsening insecurity in the country.

Demonstrators moved through key areas of the capital, including Eagle Square and around the Federal High Court, while security operatives closely monitored the procession.

Addressing the crowd, Sowore accused the federal government of failing to address insecurity, insisting that urgent steps must be taken to secure the release of abducted victims.

“We are here because of the failure of leadership in dealing with insecurity. The government must act immediately to rescue the kidnapped children,” he said.

Meanwhile, security around the Presidential Villa was significantly reinforced ahead of the protest, with personnel drawn from the police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the military deployed to strategic locations.

Roads leading to Aso Rock were barricaded, and access to the area was restricted to authorised persons only.

Stop-and-search operations were intensified across major routes within the Federal Capital Territory.

The security measures resulted in traffic disruptions around the Federal Secretariat, National Assembly, and Supreme Court axis, forcing motorists to divert to alternative routes.

Authorities maintained a heavy presence throughout the protest period to prevent escalation and ensure order in the city.

Tinubu vows safe return of abducted pupils, justice for perpetrators

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has vowed that the federal government will spare no effort in securing the release of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, declaring that “no child belongs in captivity” and promising justice for those behind the attacks.

The assurance was conveyed on Thursday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, during a special national security briefing in Abuja, where he described the abductions as a direct assault on Nigeria’s future, educational system and national values.

The minister said President Tinubu has directed that every lawful instrument available to the Nigerian state be deployed to secure the safe return of the victims.

Idris said multiple security and intelligence agencies, including the Armed Forces, Department of State Services, Nigeria Police Force, National Intelligence Agency, Office of the National Security Adviser and the National Counter Terrorism Centre, are coordinating ongoing rescue efforts.

He noted that intelligence gathering, aerial surveillance, community engagement and search-and-rescue operations are continuing without interruption.

The minister said the government’s response combines military action with intelligence-driven operations, technological enhancements and broader security reforms.

Security forces determine right time to act – ONSA

The Director of the Legal Office in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mr Zakari Mijinyawa, said security agencies determine the appropriate time to act in kidnapping and terrorism cases based on intelligence, threat assessments, and the safety of hostages.

Speaking on Thursday during a special national security briefing in Abuja, Mijinyawa rejected suggestions that Nigeria’s security institutions lack the capacity to respond effectively to insecurity.

He said the armed forces, police, and intelligence services are well-equipped and capable, stating further that security agencies consider a wide range of intelligence and operational factors before launching any operation.

According to him, the timing of an operation is guided by professional assessments rather than public pressure.

“Yes, there may be information about where individuals are located, but what about the safety and security of the hostages involved? Threat assessments take time,” he said.

Mijinyawa stressed that the primary objective of security operations is to save lives and ensure that victims return safely to their families and communities. (Daily Trust News)

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