The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State Wing, has declared that public schools across the state will remain closed until the government implements effective security measures to protect teachers and students.

The union made this position known amid growing concerns over insecurity following the abduction of more than 40 students and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15.

Speaking in Ibadan on Tuesday, the union’s secretary, Mr. Olukayode Salami, said schools could only reopen when the government takes concrete steps to restore confidence among teachers, learners, and parents.

Fear and Trauma Behind School Shutdown

According to Salami, the decision to withdraw teachers from classrooms was driven by worsening security challenges, including the killing of two teachers and the continued captivity of several abducted victims.

He explained that the incident created widespread fear, panic, and emotional distress within the education sector, making it difficult for teachers to perform their duties effectively.

“As much as we have casualties among learners in terms of abduction, we have higher casualties among teachers because two of them were killed,” Salami said.

He added that many parents had begun withdrawing their children from schools due to concerns over safety.

Government Must Act Before Schools Reopen

The NUT secretary revealed that the union initially refrained from declaring a strike immediately after the abduction incident. However, the prolonged insecurity and lack of visible improvement forced the union to take action.

He outlined key conditions for reopening schools, including:

• Safe rescue of all abducted teachers and students.
• Deployment of stronger security measures across vulnerable communities.
• Concrete strategies to prevent future attacks on schools.

“No condition is permanent and no decision is permanent. Once meaningful measures are put in place, there will be a need to review the position and see how we can collectively move forward,” he stated.

Schools Should Never Become Targets

Salami stressed that educational institutions should remain safe spaces for learning and development rather than targets of criminal activities.

He urged individuals with grievances against the government to pursue lawful channels rather than attacking innocent teachers and students.

“If anybody has a grievance against government, such persons should address it with government and not resort to attacking schools and innocent people who are not responsible for any offence,” he said.

Stakeholders Meet to Address Crisis

The union leader disclosed that the NUT recently held extensive meetings with government officials and other stakeholders to discuss practical solutions to the security challenges affecting education in the state.

According to him, a communiqué and several action plans were developed and submitted to the government for urgent implementation.

“Schools and classrooms cannot remain shut forever, but we need to see signs that will restore confidence in society for us to return to work,” he said.

Call for Stronger Security Presence

To address the crisis, Salami called for increased security patrols across vulnerable communities, particularly areas bordering forests and other high-risk locations.

He also recommended the creation of joint security task forces involving conventional security agencies, hunters, and local vigilante groups to strengthen intelligence gathering and rapid response efforts.

“If we begin to see security patrols across every nook and cranny of the state, especially vulnerable areas, it will send a signal that government is addressing the situation,” he noted.

The NUT emphasized that ensuring security remains the responsibility of government and urged authorities to treat the matter with urgency to safeguard both education and public safety.