School Abduction: Oyo Government Urges Teachers to End Strike

AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Oyo State Government has appealed to the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) to suspend its ongoing strike and allow pupils and students to return to school.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the appeal followed a meeting of the state executive council.

The strike began after the national leadership of the NUT declared an indefinite industrial action on May 29, demanding the rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted by suspected bandits in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15.

Oyelade said the council understood the concerns that led to the strike but warned that the prolonged closure of schools could have negative social and economic effects.

He said while the union’s decision was understandable, the wider consequences of keeping students out of school should also be considered.

The commissioner disclosed that the council approved N8.76 billion for the purchase of textbooks and instructional materials for primary and junior secondary schools across the state.

According to him, the funding is part of a larger N23.012 billion investment in the education sector.

The textbooks and learning materials will be supplied through a partnership involving the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the World Bank. The materials will cover key subjects including Mathematics, English Language, Literacy, Numeracy and Basic Science.

The government said successful implementation of the programme would qualify the state for additional performance-based funding.

Under the arrangement, Oyo State will receive $2 per student for each subject covered once the approved textbooks are procured and distributed.

The council also approved an upward review of the state’s 2026 budget, increasing it from N892.08 billion to N1.102 trillion to facilitate the completion of ongoing projects.

In addition, the state approved a payment of $250,000 to the African Continental Free Trade Area to improve access to trade opportunities across Africa.

The council further approved N5.91 billion for the Health Insurance and Food Security components of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) programme.

According to the statement, Governor Seyi Makinde introduced the SAfER programme in 2023 to reduce the economic hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy.

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