Public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State have closed down indefinitely following a directive by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) ordering members to withdraw their services starting Monday, June 1, 2026. The industrial action is a direct protest against the continued captivity of teachers and pupils who were violently abducted from three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of the state over two weeks ago.
According to reports from Channels Television, the indefinite strike was mandated by the national leadership of the union to draw urgent government intervention toward securing the safe release of the victims. Gunmen stormed the Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School on May 15, 2026, killing two individuals and abducting several pupils and educators whose exact fates remain uncertain.
The NUT national leadership expressed deep distress over what they called the horrifying and inhumane conditions of the captives. In a joint statement, NUT National President Audu Titus Amba and Secretary-General Clinton J. Ikpitibo criticised the stagnation of recovery efforts despite previous warnings issued to the state and federal governments.
The union has also mobilised its state chapters across Nigeria to stage nationwide solidarity rallies terminating at various Government Houses on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
As classrooms sat empty in major hubs like Ibadan, Ogbomoso, and Oyo, only senior students sitting for the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and their invigilators were permitted onto school grounds. The Oyo State wing of the NUT, led by Chairman Comrade Hassan Fatai, issued a local circular confirming full compliance and noting that the abductions have severely eroded public confidence in school safety.
On Sunday, a high-powered federal delegation—including National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and Minister of Defence Christopher Musa—visited Ogbomoso to meet with grieving families. President Bola Tinubu also ordered the immediate recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to flush out criminal elements from the region.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde also visited the community over the weekend to console the families of the abductees. Makinde urged residents to avoid blame and cooperate with authorities, promising that his administration would continue deploying every available mechanism to guarantee a safe return for the students and teachers.