Leaders of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Oyo State have called on residents, workers, teachers, students and concerned citizens to participate in a peaceful protest scheduled for Friday, May 29, 2027, over the continued captivity of abducted teachers and students in parts of the state.

The planned protest is coming over the kidnapping of teachers and students at Oriire Local Government Area of Oyos State two weeks ago.

The protest, according to the organisers, is aimed at mounting pressure on both the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to intensify efforts toward rescuing the victims and tackling worsening insecurity affecting schools and communities.

A former Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Oyo State, Comrade Andrew Emelieze, who made the protest flyer available to The Guardian in Ibadan, expressed concern over what he described as the government’s inability to guarantee the safety of teachers, students and residents.

“The state and federal governments must take action. We cannot continue to live in fear. Everyone must come out to protest this failure,” Emelieze said.

The flyer described the planned action as a “Peaceful Solidarity Walk” organised by the Oyo State Teachers’ Group in solidarity with teachers and students still being held by abductors.

The organisers are demanding the temporary closure of schools across Oyo State until the victims regain their freedom, insisting that learning cannot continue under an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.

“We demand temporary closure of all schools in Oyo State until our colleagues and the students regain freedom from captivity,” the statement read.

According to the organisers, the protest will be held simultaneously in Ibadan, Ogbomoso, Iseyin and Oyo town, where participants are expected to converge at designated locations by 8:00 a.m.

Participants have also been urged to wear black or white tops as a mark of solidarity with the abducted victims and their families.

Messages displayed on the protest flyer included: “Teachers’ lives matter,” “Students’ lives matter,” “Enough is enough,” “We must be protected at all cost,” “Release our colleagues now,” “Release our students now,” and “Education cannot thrive in fear.” (The Guardian)