Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – Hundreds of teachers in Lagos State on Tuesday marched to the Lagos State House of Assembly, demanding the immediate rescue of pupils, students and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State and calling for stronger security in educational institutions nationwide.
The protest, organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), formed part of a nationwide demonstration directed by the union’s national leadership.
The teachers marched from Ikeja to the Assembly complex, where they were received by Speaker Mudasiru Obasa.
Addressing the protesters, Obasa identified state policing as a long-term solution to Nigeria’s security challenges.
“We are all concerned about the situation, particularly the one that happened in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. This House has, several times, been at the forefront of state police,” Obasa said.
He urged Nigerians to support efforts aimed at improving security and finding sustainable solutions to recurring attacks.
“What we should be doing is looking for lasting solutions and rescuing the teachers and pupils,” he added.
The Speaker assured parents and teachers that authorities at all levels were working towards securing the release of the victims.
Earlier, Lagos NUT Chairman, Akintoye Hassan, said the protest was driven by years of attacks on schools, citing incidents such as the Chibok and Dapchi kidnappings.
“This banditry has no respect for status, religion or ethnicity. It is affecting every sector of society,” Hassan said.
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