Fresh anger boiled over in Oyo State on June 22, 2026, as residents, activists, and political leaders staged a new protest in Ibadan’s busy Iwo Road area. Their demand: the immediate rescue of 39 schoolchildren and 7 teachers who have spent 38 days in captivity after being kidnapped.
The demonstrators marched under the #BringBackOurChildren #BringBackOurTeachers campaign, led by the Take It Back (TIB) Movement. Holding placards and chanting slogans, they accused both federal and state authorities of slow action and called for urgent intervention. “38 days is far too long. #TinubuMustGo,” the group posted online during the protest.
The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, from Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communities in Oriire Local Government Area. Protesters say the delay has become a humanitarian crisis.
Kayode Babayemi, Oyo State Chairman of the African Action Congress, also addressed the crowd. He alleged the case was being politicized instead of being treated as an urgent security issue.
Tensions rose further after comments attributed to Governor Seyi Makinde. According to TIB, the governor said authorities know the victims are being held around the Old Oyo National Park. The group argued that knowing the location but failing to act sooner reflects a breakdown in the government’s duty to protect citizens.
Public pressure has been mounting for weeks. On June 16, social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, joined a separate march in the state. Protesters there chanted “bandits must go” and urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to tackle worsening insecurity in Oriire LGA.
The Iwo Road protest is the latest in a string of demonstrations as families and activists keep pressure on officials to secure the release of the children and teachers.
