The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has issued a sweeping mobilisation directive to its Southwest branches and affiliate structures, calling for full participation in a planned mass protest over the continued captivity of school children, pupils, and teachers abducted in Oyo State.
The human rights group condemned what it described as the “prolonged and unacceptable” detention of victims abducted during the 15 May 2026 attack on schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where armed assailants stormed educational facilities and whisked away students and staff.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday, the CDHR said the failure of authorities to secure the release of the victims weeks after the incident reflects “painfully slow, weak and ineffective” government response to repeated mass abductions targeting schools.
The organisation said the situation had become a national embarrassment and demanded urgent action to end what it called the “continuing tragedy of abducted Nigerian children left in captivity.”
As part of a growing coalition of civil society organisations, the Take It Back Movement and allied groups have scheduled a mass protest for Monday, 1 June 2026, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
According to the organisers, protesters are expected to converge at Mokola Roundabout by 8:00 a.m. before embarking on coordinated demonstrations across key parts of the city.
CDHR said it was directing all its branches across the Southwest to mobilise members in large numbers in solidarity with the victims and their families.
The planned demonstration is expected to press home four major demands, including the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted students, pupils, and teachers.
The group also called on the Federal Government and Oyo State Government to intensify ongoing rescue operations and publicly disclose a clear and actionable strategy for securing the victims’ freedom.
It further demanded the arrest, investigation, and prosecution of those behind the attack, including alleged sponsors of kidnapping networks operating in the region.
CDHR also renewed calls for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture, insisting that schools must be protected through proactive and intelligence-driven measures.
The organisation urged authorities to deploy specialised armed school protection units, strengthen intelligence gathering, and establish community-based early warning systems to prevent further attacks on educational institutions.
It warned that continued failure to secure schools would embolden criminal networks and deepen public insecurity across the country.
“All CDHR branches and affiliate structures across the Southwest are expected to fully participate in the June 1 protest and organise parallel solidarity actions in their respective states,” the statement added.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to sustained advocacy until all abducted victims are safely reunited with their families.
It declared: “Freedom for the Oyo school children now. Enough of kidnappings and government inaction. Protect Nigerian children and schools.”
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