Kidnapped Oyo educators plead for leniency in freshly emerged footage posted by captors

A one-minute video released by the abductors yesterday showed the kidnapped Oyo teachers and pupils making a desperate plea to the authorities to meet the kidnappers' demands and secure their freedom, with two female teachers speaking in the video, one in Yoruba and the other in English while holding a two-year-old boy.

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The teachers and pupils, who looked traumatized and terrified, were among the 46 persons kidnapped when terrorists attacked Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo state on May 15, 2026, abducting 39 pupils and students and seven teachers.

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The first female teacher to speak in the video, using the Yoruba language, begged the authorities to have mercy on them, stating that they had been in captivity for thirteen days and were suffering greatly, exposed to the elements, and pleading with the government not to fight the kidnappers but to give them what they demanded.

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The second female teacher, speaking in English, appealed to Governor Engr Seyi Makinde to negotiate with the kidnappers and give them what they wanted, emphasizing that all the teachers and children were being held captive and needed his help to save their lives.

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Teachers and civil society groups in Oyo State have called on the government to take immediate action to secure the release of the abducted teachers and pupils, warning that the safety of educators and schoolchildren can no longer be taken lightly, with the demand made during a peaceful protest staged by the Oyo State Teachers Action Group.

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The protest received the backing of the Nigeria Teachers Congress, a non-governmental organisation, with the National President of the NTC, Reverend Bunmi Thomas, addressing protesters and stating that the organisation joined the demonstration in solidarity with the affected teachers and pupils.

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Reverend Thomas stressed that the protest was lawful and driven by genuine concern for the victims, and acknowledged reports that efforts were already underway to rescue the victims, but insisted that the government must intensify its response to secure their release.

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He expressed deep concern over the condition of the victims, particularly the children reportedly being held in harsh conditions, with some as young as two and three years old exposed to rain and harsh weather conditions, and urged the state government to deploy security personnel to public schools across Oyo State.

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The union leader argued that teachers should not be forced to work under constant fear and insecurity, and that the government must do more to rescue the teachers and pupils, with the situation being dire and unpredictable, and nobody knowing who could be the next victim.

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Responding to the protest, the Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security Matters, Compol Sunday Odukoya, assured demonstrators that the state government was actively pursuing the safe rescue of the victims and acknowledged their right to protest and express their concerns.

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Odukoya explained that certain operational details could not be made public in order not to compromise ongoing rescue efforts, but reassured the protesters that the government was not folding its arms over the matter and was working to resolve the situation.