The Nigeria Union of Teachers has ordered an indefinite strike by all public primary and secondary school teachers in Oyo State in protest over the continued captivity of abducted teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area.

The action follows the abduction of 46 pupils and their teachers by suspected terrorists in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities, an incident that has deepened fears about the safety of schools in the area and across the state.

In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman of the Oyo State Wing of the union, Hassan Fatai, and the Secretary, Salami Olukayode, the NUT said the unresolved abduction has created widespread fear and anxiety among teachers, discouraged school attendance, and heightened tension in the affected communities.

The union explained that the strike is a last-resort measure aimed at compelling government authorities and security agencies to intensify efforts toward securing the safe release of the abducted pupils and their teachers, and to demonstrate that the lives of education workers and children cannot be treated as expendable.

According to the statement, classrooms across Oyo’s public schools are to remain shut while the industrial action lasts, with teachers instructed to stay away from work until further notice from the union’s leadership.

The NUT stressed that no teacher should report for duty in any public primary or secondary school in the state, warning that partial compliance would weaken the collective demand for urgent and decisive action from the authorities.

Parents and community leaders in Oriire and neighbouring local government areas have been expressing growing frustration over the pace of rescue efforts, while education stakeholders warn that repeated attacks on schools risk undermining confidence in the public education system.

The union called on the Oyo State Government, federal security agencies, and community vigilante networks to coordinate more robust intelligence gathering, increase patrols around vulnerable communities, and prioritise the safe return of the abducted victims.

It also urged government at all levels to treat the protection of schools as a national security priority, insisting that teaching and learning cannot continue under the shadow of fear, uncertainty, and repeated attacks on pupils and their teachers.