Residents of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, on Monday staged fresh protests demanding the release of more than 40 pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area, nearly 25 days after they were taken captive.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele. The abductees have remained in captivity since the incident.
The latest demonstration came as the abducted principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, appeared in a viral video from captivity, disputing reports that the kidnappers had demanded the introduction of Sharia law in Nigeria as a condition for their release.
Speaking in an emotional appeal, Alamu urged Nigerians not to allow misinformation or political interests to complicate efforts to secure the victims' freedom.
"We have been here for 24 days, and it appears that some people are making our situation more complicated," she said in the video. "We were shown reports claiming that our abductors demanded the release of certain people, N1 billion, and the implementation of Sharia law. Those claims are not true."
According to Alamu, the captors have neither compelled the victims to adopt Islamic practices nor made demands related to religion, money, or weapons.
"They have not forced us to worship in any particular way. They have not troubled us concerning religion," she said. "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."
She appealed to the public to help amplify her message and urged authorities to engage with the kidnappers in order to secure the release of those being held.
"Please do not play politics with our lives," she said. "All they want is the release of some people. The government should negotiate with them and determine who those individuals are. Nigerians, please help us make this message go viral."
Meanwhile, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Ogbomoso on Monday, blocking major highways and state roads in a demonstration that caused significant traffic disruption.
One of the protesters, Kehinde Dahunsi, expressed frustration over what he described as the slow response to the abduction.
“The former Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu’s biological sister and her twin children (Peter and Paul), as heard on radio, television stations, and read in the pages of newspapers, were kidnapped early hours on Wednesday, June 3, and were rescued on Saturday, June 6, 2026. Just three days interval.
“But our people have been in captivity for 25 days now. Why shouldn’t governments also apply the same mechanism used to rescue the ex-minister’s sister and her two sons to rescue our family members?” he lamented.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) had earlier directed its members across Oyo State to embark on an indefinite strike until the abducted pupils and teachers are rescued. The directive followed a series of protests held nationwide last week calling for stronger government action.
As public pressure mounts, families of the victims and community leaders continue to urge both the federal and state governments to intensify efforts to secure the safe return of those still in captivity.
