By The Metro 
Following the continued captivity of educators and students kidnapped in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, the National Headquarters of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has declared an indefinite strike across the state.
Under this directive, all primary and secondary school teachers in Oyo State are ordered to completely withdraw their services starting Monday, June 1, 2026. Academic activities will remain suspended until all victims are safely and unconditionally released.
In addition to the industrial action in Oyo State, the NUT leadership has instructed all state wings across Nigeria to mobilize for nationwide solidarity rallies on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. These rallies are scheduled to culminate at the respective Government Houses in each state. Through these actions, union leaders intend to address the media, protest the current vulnerability of academic institutions, and collectively demand that the government establish safer and more secure learning environments.
The joint statement, signed by NUT National President Comrade Audu Titus Amba and Secretary General Dr. Clinton J. Ikpitibo, expressed profound distress over the worsening conditions of the hostages. The victims have been held since May 15, 2026. The union lamented that despite multiple appeals to state authorities and security agencies, there has been no tangible progress toward their rescue.
Anxiety has mounted significantly following reports of the death of some victims in captivity. Furthermore, distressing emotional appeals have emerged from the kidnappers’ den, featuring the abducted school principal and a teacher pleading with the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, the NUT, the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), and the general public to intervene.
The NUT stressed that the prolonged trauma experienced by the victims, their families, and the public made the strike unavoidable. Reaffirming its absolute solidarity with the affected families, the union asserted that schools, teachers, and learners must never be treated as targets for criminal elements.
The union concluded its directive with an urgent call to the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, and national security agencies to decisively intensify intelligence and rescue operations. The NUT emphasized that education cannot thrive without peace and security, pledging to exhaust all lawful channels until every teacher and student safely returns home.