Today, in my capacity as the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), I led a strong delegation of the association drawn from all structures of NANS, executives from the National Headquarters, the Zonal Leadership and the Joint Campus Council (JCC), alongside sister unions, NAUS, NAPS, NANCES and NFSAN, from across the country to Oyo State to demand the immediate and unconditional rescue of the abducted students and teachers from Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. We were also joined in solidarity by the Oyo State chapters of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
As the collective voice of Nigerian students, we came together in one firm resolve that no student or teacher should remain in captivity while the conscience of the nation is put to the test. We stand in solidarity with the victims and their families, and we insist that urgent and decisive steps must be taken to secure their safe and immediate return.
During the course of our solidarity and advocacy movement, we met with the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to commiserate with the families of the victims and the people of Oyo State. Subsequently, I presented the position and recommendations of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to His Excellency regarding the unfortunate incident and the urgent measures required to address the situation.
In my address, I emphasized that we find ourselves at a critical juncture, one of the most challenging and distressing moments in our recent history. I noted that we had converged in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, from different parts of the country with hearts weighed down by grief, apprehension, and a high sense of collective responsibility. I stressed that the abduction of students and teachers is a national tragedy that has elicited widespread anxiety among students across the federation and intensified concerns regarding the security of educational institutions and the future of learning in our nation.
I acknowledged and commended the Governor for his compassionate response and his decision to meet with the families of the victims of the abducted students and teachers in Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, stressing that he has demonstrated empathy and leadership at a difficult time for the affected communities. Furthermore, I added that this tragic incident must not be politicized, and that the immediate rescue and safe return of our teachers and students remains our only and utmost priority.
Our recommendations include the immediate deployment and reinforcement of Amotekun operations; community-based intelligence gathering; engagement of vetted local volunteers; a security audit of vulnerable communities; technology-driven security response; a student and school security initiative; and a long-term rural security strategy.
Similarly, we advocated for state policing, stressing that while immediate solutions are necessary, the recent incident further indicates the need for constitutional reforms that will grant states greater control over the security architecture and enable faster response mechanisms.
Let me reiterate that going forward, we shall not compromise in our quest to ensure the immediate and unconditional rescue and safe return of the abducted students and teachers from Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as we share in their pain; an injury to one is an injury to all.
Viva Aluta!
Thank you.
Yours in solidarity,
Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, GCNS
President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS)
2 June 2026