Angry demonstrators have taken to the streets of Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to protest the recent abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State. The demonstrators are demanding immediate government action to secure the victims’ release, pointing fingers at President Bola Tinubu’s administration over the country’s worsening security situation.
Protesters Demand Action in Abuja
Gathering in large numbers, the protesters marched through major roads in the capital, chanting slogans such as “Tinubu must go,” “Rescue them or resign,” and “Bring Nigerian children now.” The demonstration, which drew significant attention, saw protesters confronting security agencies and motorists to drive home their message.
During the march, demonstrators engaged with Nigeria Police Force operatives, asserting their fundamental right to peaceful assembly and demanding cooperation from security personnel. One protester was captured on video urging a motorist to document and broadcast the demonstration, stating, “Oga, go and tell people that you witnessed this thing. Tinubu must go.”
The Oyo State Abduction and Growing Outrage
The protests were sparked by the recent abduction of pupils and educators by armed gunmen in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The incident has triggered nationwide condemnation and heightened anxiety over the safety of educational institutions in the region.
Earlier in the week, teachers under the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) staged nationwide demonstrations to demand the urgent rescue of their abducted colleagues and students. Adding to the tension, prominent Yoruba nation self-determination activist Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, recently claimed he possesses information regarding the political actors sponsoring the kidnappings in the state.
Political Fallout and Security Criticisms
The abduction has also fueled intense political debate. Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose recently urged Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to take decisive action, stressing that President Tinubu would not personally travel to Oyo to resolve the state’s security challenges. Similarly, former presidential aide Laolu Akande advised Governor Makinde to hold a direct meeting with the President to address the crisis.
Meanwhile, the opposition has used the incident to criticize the federal government’s security approach. An aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of prioritizing the protection of political billboards over the lives of Nigerian citizens. Atiku himself described the Tinubu administration’s current counter-terrorism strategies as highly inadequate.
As pressure mounts on the federal government, security agencies continue to call for calm, attempting to dispel rumors and false kidnapping alarms that have begun circulating in other parts of the country, including Abuja.