The Oyo State Government has appealed to the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) to suspend its ongoing school shutdown and allow pupils to return to classrooms following the abduction of teachers and students in Oriire Local Government Area.
The appeal was made after the State Executive Council meeting, where officials expressed concern over the disruption of academic activities across public schools.
The NUT had directed teachers to stay away from classrooms after the May 15 abduction of 39 pupils and seven teachers, an attack that also claimed the life of a teacher, while another was later killed in captivity.
“The government appealed to the NUT to allow students to return to school and end the disruption of the academic calendar.”
The union had maintained that schools would remain closed until adequate security measures were put in place to guarantee the safety of teachers and students.
Despite the appeal, the government acknowledged the concerns raised by the union and reaffirmed its commitment to improving security across the state.
The Executive Council also approved an increase in the 2026 state budget and approved funding for key programmes, including health insurance, food security and investment initiatives under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police Command denied reports claiming it had invited the Elesinele of Esinele, High Chief Tajudeen Abioye, for questioning over the abduction incident.
The police described the report as false and urged residents to disregard misinformation capable of undermining ongoing rescue efforts and security operations.
Authorities said efforts were still ongoing to secure the release of the remaining victims and bring those responsible for the attack to justice.
Source: Oyo State Government / Oyo State Police Command
