MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2026
VOL 21 NO 46
•A cross-section of protesters during the June 12 Democracy Day rally, held in Osogbo, last Friday
One Month After, Oyo School Children, Teachers Remain In Captivity •As Nigerians, Civil Society Leaders Mount Pressure On Govt •Worsening Insecurity Capable Of Affecting 2027 Polls – CSO Our Reporter NE month a er gunmen stormed three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers, the vic ms remain in cap vity, raising fresh concerns about the worsening state of insecurity in the country and the government’s capacity to protect vulnerable ci zens.
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OSUN DEFENDER reports that the a ack, which occurred on May 15, saw armed men invade schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communi es, killing at least one teacher and abduc ng scores of pupils and educaon workers. Weeks later, Governor Seyi Makinde disclosed that intelligence reports indicated that the vic ms were s ll being held within
the vast Old Oyo Na onal Park, where security agencies have con nued rescue opera ons. The prolonged cap vity of the children has triggered outrage across the country, with parents, civil society organisa ons, labour groups and educa on stakeholders demanding urgent ac on to secure their release. It was gathered that the
incident has also revived fears that mass school abduc ons, once largely associated with northern Nigeria, are spreading to other parts of the country. As at the me of filing this report, security agencies have arrested a number of suspects and alleged informants linked to the kidnapping network, but none of the children has been rescued, leaving af-
fected families in anguish as the days con nue to pass. -As Nigerians, Civil Society Leaders Mount Pressure On Govt Na onwide concerns over the abduc on featured prominently during the June 12 Democracy Day protests held across parts of the country monitored by OSUN DEFENDER, where demonstrators accused government at all levels of
failing to guarantee the security of lives and property. Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), who joined a coali on of civil society groups that organised the protests, said Democracy Day could not be meaningfully celebrated while ci zens lived under the constant threat of violence, kidnapping and economic hardship. According to Falana, the con nued cap vity of schoolchildren in Oyo State and similar incidents across the country underscored the urgent need for authori es to priori se security and restore public confidence in governance. The coali on also demanded decisive ac on against rising insecurity, unemployment and worsening living condi ons. In Abuja, ac vist and former presiden al candidate, Omoyele Sowore, led protesters who demanded the immediate release of abducted schoolchildren and an end to what they described as government indifference to the plight of ordinary Nigerians. The protest was later disrupted by security opera ves who fired teargas at demonstrators. Several speakers at •Continued on page 2