Residents of Ibadan on Monday staged a protest at Mokola Roundabout over the prolonged captivity of pupils and teachers abducted by terrorists in Oriire, Oyo state.

The protesters, who moved from Mokola Roundabout towards Agodi-Gate, were led by the Oyo state chapter of the Take-It-Back Movement, drawing participation from concerned parents, youths and students.

The protesters held placards bearing inscriptions such as ‘Bring Back Our Children’, ‘47 Abducted: Stand Up, Speak Up’, ‘Bring Back Our Children and Teachers’, ‘Every Life Matters: Stop the Kidnapping’, and ‘End Insecurity in Nigeria’.

A protester, Esther Olowookere, who spoke with the Peoples Gazette, decried the continued captivity of the victims and urged relevant authorities to prioritise the victims’ rescue over politics and campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections.

“The government should do all that must be done to rescue the pupils. Our minds are not at rest outside, inside or over our children in school. They should give us peace of mind. Otherwise, we will not participate in the forthcoming elections,” Mrs Olowookere.

A member of the TIB movement, Soneye AbdulAzeez, described the recent school abduction incident as an unfortunate development amid the inadequate delivery of democratic dividends in the country.

“There is no way there can be security in a country if more than 50 per cent of the population is unemployed. This is to say that people who are not employed, who do not have a source of income, will be easy to recruit into terrorist organisations,” Mr Soneye said. “The issue of insecurity is not just about arms and ammunition. It is also about economic security, social security, psychological security and social protection for the masses.” 

He added, “We are calling on President Tinubu and other governors to note that it is not enough to budget trillions of naira for security when the people you want to secure are dying daily of hunger. Definitely, they will be the ones to join terrorist organisations so that they can have a means of livelihood.” 

As of press time, the protesters were heading to the Oyo government’s secretariat in Ibadan.

Governor Seyi Makinde, on Sunday, appealedagainst staging a protest.

“Terrorists are on our doorstep. I encourage the family members of the children they abducted. This is not the time for protest. Terrorists and bandits are not normal people. So if we are protesting, we are fuelling their ego,” said Mr Makinde. “So, let us pray that God will touch their hearts. We are doing everything possible to (secure the) release of the children.”

On May 15, several pupils and teachers were kidnapped by terrorists in Oriire LGA.