Oyo residents, Take-It-Back Movement protest abduction of pupils, teachers in Ibadan

Residents of Oyo State, alongside members of the Take-It-Back Movement, on Monday staged a protest at Mokola Roundabout in Ibadan, demanding the immediate release of abducted pupils, teachers and the principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle in Oriire Local Government Area.

The protesters, who gathered as early as 8:00 a.m., carried placards and banners expressing anger over rising insecurity and calling on security agencies to urgently rescue the victims.

The demonstration followed the reported abduction of the school principal and several students and teachers during an attack on the school community, an incident that has heightened fear across the state.

Placards displayed at the protest bore inscriptions such as “Save Our Children,” “End Kidnapping in Oyo State,” “Oyo State Citizens Deserve Protection, Not Fear,” and “Free Ogbomoso Kidnapped Victims.”

Members of the Take-It-Back Movement accused authorities of failing to adequately protect lives and property, stressing that schools must not be allowed to become easy targets for criminal gangs.

They called for urgent intervention from both state and federal security agencies to secure the release of the abducted victims and restore confidence in the safety of educational institutions.

The protest comes days after reports that gunmen invaded Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, in Oriire LGA, abducting the school principal and an unspecified number of pupils and staff.

The Oyo State Police Command had confirmed the incident, stating that the attackers struck between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., causing panic in the agrarian community.

According to the police, the victims include the school principal, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, alongside several teachers and students who were forcibly taken during the attack.

Security agencies are said to have intensified efforts to track the abductors and rescue the victims unhurt, while residents continue to call for stronger protection of schools and rural communities.

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