Teachers in Oyo State on Monday staged a protest in Ogbomoso over the recent attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area, demanding urgent action from the government and security agencies following the abduction and killing of school personnel.
The protest comes days after the principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, pleaded for urgent intervention after gunmen invaded schools in the Ahoro-Esiele/Yawota axis of Oriire, abducting pupils and teachers.
Recall that the attackers, who rode into the communities on motorcycles on Friday, targeted Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School.
During the attack, an assistant headmaster, Joel Adesiyan, and a commercial motorcyclist were killed, while several teachers and pupils were taken away by the gunmen.
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, confirmed that seven teachers were abducted, adding that the exact number of missing pupils was still being verified.
Makinde also disclosed that the state government received a video confirming the killing of one of the abducted teachers, identified as a mathematics teacher.
“What we know is that seven teachers in all were abducted and unfortunately, we got a video this morning that one of the teachers, the maths teacher, was killed by the terrorists this morning,” the governor said.
The protesting teachers carried placards with inscriptions such as “Their deaths demand action”, “Say their name, remember their sacrifice”, and “Noble teachers gone too soon”.
They also chanted solidarity songs while calling on Governor Makinde and security agencies to strengthen security operations and ensure the safe rescue of the remaining abductees.
