With over 40 schoolchildren and teachers still held captive after 40 days in the bush, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has made an urgent plea to the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to call off its ongoing strike and reopen public classrooms.
The governor’s appeal came directly from a State Executive Council meeting, where officials attempted to address a catastrophic security crisis that has paralyzed public education across the state.
Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, acknowledged the deep trauma fueling the union’s strike but warned of a looming secondary crisis.
“While the reasons for the withdrawal of the students from school by the NUT are understandable, the collateral implications, both social and economic, are raising unintended concerns”, Oyelade stated, stressing that prolonged closures are crippling the academic calendar in the final weeks of the school term.
He assured residents that efforts are being heavily intensified behind the scenes to secure the release of the hostages and fortify local communities.
The NUT ground public education in Oyo State to a halt following the shocking May 15 coordinated raids in Oriire Local Government Area. Gunmen stormed three separate schools, Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, along with Community Grammar School and L.A Primary School in Esiele, carting away dozens of victims.
The union maintained its rigid stance on Tuesday, insisting that public schools will remain firmly locked until the state government implements concrete, visible safety measures to guarantee that teachers and children are safe from armed bandits.
