The Residents of Ogbomoso in Oyo State on Monday staged another mass protest calling for the immediate release of over 40 abducted pupils and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area.
The victims were abducted on Friday, May 15, 2026, around 9:30 a.m., and have remained in captivity for about 25 days, sparking growing anger and repeated demonstrations across the state.
As protests intensified, the abducted Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, appeared in a viral video, making a distress call from the kidnappers’ hideout and urging Nigerians not to politicise the situation or spread misinformation about the abductors’ demands.
In the video, Alamu dismissed reports that the kidnappers had demanded the enforcement of Sharia law or the payment of a ransom, insisting such claims were false and worsening the situation of the captives.
“Today makes it the 24th day that we have been here. Some reports circulating in the media are not true. They are saying the abductors are demanding Sharia law and money. That is not correct,” she said.
According to her, the abductors were only interested in the release of certain individuals held by authorities and were not demanding financial payment or religious concessions.
“They are not asking for Sharia law. They are not asking for money. The only thing they want is the release of some of their people. The government should negotiate with them and identify those to be exchanged,” she added.
Alamu also appealed to Nigerians to circulate her message widely, insisting that public attention was crucial to ensuring their safe return and preventing misinformation.
Meanwhile, residents of Ogbomoso blocked major highways and state roads during the protest, causing heavy traffic disruptions as they demanded urgent government action.
One of the protesters, Kehinde Dahunsi, expressed frustration over the delay in rescuing the victims, comparing the situation to other recent abductions that were resolved more quickly.
He called on both federal and state governments to apply similar urgency in securing the release of the abducted pupils and teachers, describing the situation as heartbreaking and unacceptable.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has also directed members across the state to embark on a strike until the kidnapped victims are rescued, while protests and solidarity actions continue in different parts of the country.
