NACAT Condemns Continued Captivity of Oyo Pupils and Teachers, Demands Immediate Release

The Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) expresses profound outrage, deep sorrow, and unequivocal condemnation over the continued captivity of pupils, students, and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State more than two weeks ago. The sustained ordeal, marked by brutality and psychological terror, is yet another grim reminder of the alarming collapse of public safety in Nigeria.

NACAT is particularly horrified by credible reports and disturbing video evidence indicating that one of the abducted teachers was brutally beheaded in captivity, while other victims, mostly innocent schoolchildren, continue to be subjected to inhumane torture and degrading treatment by their captors. These acts are barbaric, unconscionable, and represent a direct assault on humanity.

It is deeply troubling that in a nation not officially at war, schoolchildren are being turned into bargaining chips by armed criminal groups operating with audacity and impunity. The continued circulation of videos showing victims being tortured under harsh conditions, especially during this rainy season, underscores a national emergency that can no longer be treated with routine responses.

NACAT notes with grave concern that schools, once sanctuaries of learning and hope, have increasingly become targets of coordinated attacks. This erosion of safety in educational institutions is not only an attack on the victims but a calculated assault on Nigeria’s future.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the sustained wave of kidnappings and killings across the country, which has left citizens perpetually vulnerable and exposed. The frequency and brazenness of these attacks point to systemic security failures that demand urgent and decisive correction.

While security remains the constitutional responsibility of government, NACAT observes with deep disappointment that the present administration has continued to struggle in its primary duty of protecting lives and property. The situation in Oyo State is not isolated; it is symptomatic of a wider national security architecture under severe strain.

NACAT is compelled to state that the recurring tragedy of mass abductions, prolonged captivity of victims, and delayed rescue operations reflects a troubling gap between policy pronouncements and practical security outcomes. Nigerians cannot continue to live at the mercy of armed groups.

NACAT stands in full and unwavering solidarity with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and supports its decision to withdraw services in Oyo State. The strike action is a painful but necessary response to a crisis that directly endangers educators and learners alike.

We recognize the emotional, psychological, and professional toll this situation has placed on teachers across the state, who now work under constant fear of attack or abduction. The decision to suspend academic activities reflects the severity of insecurity confronting the education sector.

NACAT further notes the directive by the Federal Government for the recruitment of forest guards. While this may be a step in the right direction, we emphasize that such measures must not become another cycle of announcements without urgency, coordination, and measurable impact on the ground.

We demand immediate, intensified, and intelligence-driven rescue operations aimed at securing the unconditional release of all abducted pupils and teachers without further delay. Every passing day in captivity increases the risk of further loss of innocent lives and deepens national trauma.

NACAT calls on all security agencies to rise to the occasion with professionalism, urgency, and coordinated action. The protection of schoolchildren must be treated as a non-negotiable national priority, not a reactive exercise following public outrage. The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Abimbola Olugbenga, along with the Chief of Army Staff and other service commanders, must cease the endless "on-the-spot assessments" and launch a highly coordinated, intelligence-driven rescue operation to liberate these children and teachers immediately.

Upon their rescue, the government must take full responsibility for the comprehensive medical treatment and long-term psychiatric rehabilitation of the surviving victims and their traumatized families.

We also call on government at all levels to overhaul existing security strategies, strengthen community intelligence systems, and ensure that rural and school environments are no longer left exposed to armed criminal networks.

NACAT also demands that the federal and state governments must account for the billions of Naira allocated to security votes, as these funds have clearly not translated into safety for our schools and rural communities.

Finally, NACAT extends its solidarity and prayers to the families of the abducted victims, the affected communities in Oyo State, and all Nigerians who continue to endure the pain of insecurity. Nigeria must not normalize terror. The sanctity of human life must be restored, protected, and defended with urgency and resolve.

By: Stanley Ugagbe, Operations Manager

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