An Education-focused Non-Governmental Organisation,Ibironke Adeagbo Foundation has described the Oyo State kidnapping incident as an attack on every child’s right.
New Telegraph had earlier reported that gunmen riding motorcycles descended on three schools almost simultaneously: Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele and on Sunday, May 17, a video had gone viral showing the beheading of one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun with a public message about the fate that awaits those still in captivity.
Reacting to the gruesome murder, the Foundation Founder, Ibironke Adeagbo, in a statement issued to newsmen on Thursday evening, said the school attackers are holding in captive the nation’s future for attacking schools.
While commiserating with the affected families, she called on federal and state authorities, security agencies, community leaders, and every Nigerian to demand urgent, decisive, and sustained action.
Adeagbo also prayed for the freedom of those in captive, adding that a nation with paucity of child’s protection is a gambler.
“What happened in Oyo is an attack on that mission. It is an attack on every child’s right to sit in a classroom and learn, to dream, to become.
“When schools are targeted, the future of a nation is what the attackers are really holding for ransom.
“We stand with the families of Ahoro-Esinele. We mourn with them. We call on federal and state authorities, security agencies, community leaders, and every Nigerian who believes in the future of this country to demand urgent, decisive, and sustained action.
“We pray for the safe return of every abducted child, every teacher, every staff member still in captivity. And we refuse to accept that this is simply how things are. A nation that cannot protect its children is gambling with everything.” She said.
Suggesting ways to ameliorate the recurrent of such event, the Founder asked the Federal Government to leverage on Safe Schools Declaration Act in protection of its children.
She lamented over the pattern of attacks, condemnations, investigations and repeat of such.
“Nigeria is a signatory to the Safe Schools Declaration, a commitment to protect education during conflict and insecurity. And yet the attacks continue.
“The Nigerian Senate, as recently as November 2025, ordered a full investigation into why funds set aside for the Safe Schools programme had apparently failed to protect children.
“The pattern is clear: attacks happen, condemnations follow, investigations are announced, and then the cycle begins again, clearly there is a correlation between the level of out of school children and insecurity. We neglect out of school children at our peril.” Founder said
