The Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) has issued a fervent call to the Nigerian Federal Government and its security agencies, urging immediate and intensified efforts to rescue students and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo and Borno states.
This plea comes amidst growing national anguish over the persistent insecurity plaguing educational institutions and the prolonged captivity of innocent citizens.
In a statement released on July 4, 2026, by its Chairman, Sola Akingboye, ACOE expressed profound solidarity with the families, educators, and administrations of the three affected schools in the Oyo State’s Oriire, as well as the Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Borno State.
The association highlighted the severe
psychological and emotional toll on parents who have endured weeks of agonizing uncertainty since their children were taken.
The Abductions: A Timeline of Trauma
The abduction in Oriire, Oyo State, occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools, kidnapping at least 39 schoolchildren and 7 teachers.
As of July 3, 2026, these individuals have spent 50 days in captivity, with families desperately awaiting their return. Despite reports of intensified efforts by security operatives, including the deployment of Nigerian Air Force surveillance aircraft, the victims remain unrescued.
The Oyo State Government has affirmed its commitment to securing their safe return, and six suspects have reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.
Separately, in Borno State, gunmen attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area, on June 29, 2026, during ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
This brazen assault resulted in the abduction of an unspecified number of students and teachers. Reports indicate that at least 36 students and one staff member remain in captivity as of July 1, 2026, though some abducted school children have reportedly escaped and returned.
Parents of the abducted students have staged protests, imploring the govt and security agencies to expedite rescue operations.
ACOE’s Urgent Demands
ACOE voiced deep concern over the vulnerability of educational institutions, warning that targeting students undermines the nation’s future.
Akingboye emphasized, “No parent
should ever have to experience the agony of sending a child to school, only to wait in weeks of silence, agonizing uncertainty. The mental, psychological toll on these families is unimaginable.” ACOE Statement.
The association called for the Federal Government and all relevant security authorities to act with the highest sense of urgency, intensifying intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.
The goal, ACOe stressed, is to ensure every child, teacher, and citizen held captive across Nigeria is safely reunited with their loved ones, thereby restoring
public confidence in the safety of schools.
A Broader Crisis
These abductions are not isolated incidents but rather symptomatic of a broader security crisis gripping Nigeria.
ACOE extended its prayers and thoughts to all other victims of banditry, terrorism nationwide, reiterating its commitment to using corporate online media platforms to advocate for justice, transparency, and the unconditional protection of human lives.
