Teachers, Parents protest abduction of Oyo school pupils, demand immediate action
By Imisioluwa Afunmiso
Teachers, parents and concerned residents on Thursday staged a protest in Abule Egba, Lagos, demanding the immediate rescue of pupils reportedly abducted from a public school in Oyo State.
The protest, led by the Human Resources Manager of WiseUp Schools, Mrs. Ozioma Oyi Obute, drew participation from teachers, parents and passersby who expressed concern over the rising cases of insecurity affecting school children across the country.
Speaking during the protest, Mrs. Obute condemned the rising insecurity affecting schools across the country urging authorities to act swiftly, stressing that the safety of schoolchildren should not be compromised under any circumstances.
She further called on the Federal Government and security agencies to move beyond public assurances and intensify rescue efforts, noting that parents and educators were increasingly worried about the vulnerability of pupils.
”These children have been in the bush for days. They are not animals, they are human beings, they are students, and they deserve protection. Rescue our children, we need action, not promises,” she said.
Also speaking was Eniolami Bakare who said the protest was initiated by concerned educators determined to speak out against the growing threat to the safety of children.
According to her, the abducted pupils deserve protection and security as citizens of Nigeria, stressing that government authorities at all levels must move beyond statements and take decisive action.
”We are not begging. We are demanding action. These children have the right to be citizens of Nigeria, the right to be safe and the right to live and learn in a secure environment,” she said.
She urged the Federal Government, state governments, local government authorities and lawmakers to prioritise the rescue of the children and strengthen security around schools criticising what she described as the frequent issuance of official statements without corresponding action, insisting that Nigerians want concrete measures to address insecurity.
”If any citizen insults any government official, they know how to track them down. But when it comes to a critical condition like this, they will give us addresses. We don’t want addresses. We want action. Enough of talking without results. The safety of our children must become a national priority,” she added.
The protesters noted that the incident should serve as a wake-up call to authorities, warning that similar attacks could occur in any community if urgent steps are not taken stressing that if such an incident could happen in a public school in Oyo State, children in other parts of the country could also be vulnerable calling for the immediate release of the abducted pupils and urged security agencies to intensify efforts to ensure their safe return while preventing future attacks on schools.