Thousands of Lagos teachers marched to the state house of assembly, demanding the release of abducted colleagues and students, following a recent incident in Oyo State where over 40 pupils and seven teachers were kidnapped. The march was led by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Lagos State wing.

The protest was aimed at drawing attention to the growing insecurity that continues to threaten education and national development. According to Mr. Akintoye Hassan, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Lagos State wing, the abduction of students and teachers, which began years ago in parts of Northern Nigeria, has gradually spread across the country, making no region completely safe.

The chairman also stated that insecurity has affected people from all walks of life, including teachers, students, doctors, community leaders, and politicians. He appealed to protesters to remain peaceful and orderly as they returned to their various destinations after the demonstration.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, expressed concern over the growing insecurity in parts of the country, particularly the recent killing of teachers in Oyo State. He described the incident as unfortunate and deeply troubling.

Obasa expressed the assembly's concern about security challenges and its resolve to support efforts aimed at ensuring the safety of residents. He also urged Nigerians to be proactive in addressing security concerns, as citizens should not wait until criminal activities affected their communities directly before taking action or speaking up.

Obasa lauded the NUT for rising in solidarity with their colleagues in spite of the incident occurring outside Lagos. He described the action as a demonstration of unity, empathy, and commitment to the welfare of teachers across the country.

The NUT chairman, Mr. Hassan, said that the union decided not to shut down schools immediately, but to take a strategic approach aimed at protecting the right of children to education. He explained that prolonged closure of public schools would disproportionately affect children from low-income families, who relied on government-funded education, while their counterparts in private schools continued learning.

Hassan stressed that the abduction of students and teachers requires a collective response from security agencies, political leaders, and citizens rather than a culture of blame. He urged Nigerians not to lose focus on insecurity after each incident, but to sustain advocacy and engagement until lasting solutions were achieved.

In a recent interview, Obasa warned that circulation of false reports for the purpose of attracting followers or generating online traffic could worsen public anxiety and undermine security efforts. He also described the incident as unfortunate and deeply troubling, expressing the assembly's concern about security challenges and its resolve to support efforts aimed at ensuring the safety of residents.

Obasa expressed the assembly's support for ongoing efforts by the federal government and security agencies to address the insecurity in the country. He expressed confidence that these efforts would yield positive results.

According to Mr. Hassan, the struggle today is not only about a recent incident, but about all the abductions of children and students that have taken place in Nigeria since around 2014. He explained that the abduction of students and teachers, which began years ago in parts of Northern Nigeria, has gradually spread across the country, making no region completely safe.

### What This Means The protest by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Lagos State has highlighted the growing insecurity in Nigeria, particularly in the education sector. The abduction of students and teachers has become a recurring problem, with the chairman of the NUT stating that it has affected people from all walks of life. The union's decision not to shut down schools immediately has been praised as a strategic approach aimed at protecting the right of children to education.

### How It Happened The protest march started from Ikeja Under Bridge and ended at the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) in Alausa. The incident that triggered the protest occurred on May 15, when over 40 pupils and seven teachers were kidnapped in Oyo State. The NUT chairman, Mr. Akintoye Hassan, stated that the protest was aimed at drawing attention to the growing insecurity that has continued to threaten education and national development.

### Key Facts

  • Over 40 pupils and seven teachers were kidnapped in Oyo State.
  • The incident occurred on May 15.
  • The protest march started from Ikeja Under Bridge and ended at the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) in Alausa.
  • Mr. Akintoye Hassan is the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Lagos State wing.
  • The NUT chairman said that the protest was aimed at drawing attention to the growing insecurity that has continued to threaten education and national development.
  • The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, expressed the assembly's concern about security challenges and its resolve to support efforts aimed at ensuring the safety of residents.

The NUT chairman, Mr. Hassan, said that the union would continue consultations with stakeholders and inform of further actions through its national leadership. He also expressed confidence that ongoing efforts by the federal government and security agencies would yield positive results.

The chairman added that the union's primary objective was to ensure the safety of its members and students, and that it would continue to engage with the government and security agencies to achieve this goal. He also urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, also expressed his support for the NUT's efforts to address the insecurity in the country. He stated that the assembly would continue to work with the union and other stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the problem.