Tensions are rising in the South-West as private school owners and teachers issue a hard deadline for the release of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State.
The South-West zone of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) has issued a stern ultimatum to authorities, demanding the release of abd¥cted teachers and pupils in Oyo State and other parts of the country by June 10, or face mass protests across all six South-West states.
The association made the declaration while condemning the recent kidn@pping of teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, describing the incident as a deeply alarming escalation in att@cks on the education sector and a clear indication of the country’s worsening security situation.
In a statement signed by its South-West President, Comrade Deji Olatona, NAPPS warned that if the victims are not freed before the deadline, school owners, teachers, and students across the region would take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations, marching on state Houses of Assembly and governors’ offices in all six South-West states.
The group stressed that repeated att@cks on schools represent a deliberate attempt to disrupt learning and undermine one of society’s most vital institutions, describing the violence as barbaric and completely at odds with civilised values.
It reaffirmed its commitment to sustained advocacy until every abd¥cted victim is safely reunited with their families.
NAPPS also called on South-West governors, traditional rulers, and other key stakeholders to urgently strengthen security arrangements, particularly in border communities considered most vulnerable to criminal incursions.
The association appealed for greater collaboration among leaders in the region, urging them to expand security networks and take more proactive steps to protect towns and villages in border areas.
Both the federal and state governments were urged to put stronger preventive measures in place to safeguard schools and citizens, with the association warning that continued inaction risks deepening public anxiety and eroding confidence in the government’s ability to protect its people.