By Gideon Maxwell
July 1, 2026
Public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State are set to reopen after the Oyo State Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, suspended the indefinite strike it embarked upon over the abduction of teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area.
The suspension of the industrial action followed sustained engagements between the Oyo State Government and the union, after Governor Seyi Makinde appealed to teachers to return to the classrooms in the interest of pupils and students while efforts to secure the remaining abductees continue.
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The strike, which commenced on June 1, was declared by the national leadership of the NUT and backed by its Oyo State chapter after gunmen abducted dozens of pupils and teachers from Community Grammar School, Ahoro Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Ahoro Esiele, and Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, all in Oriire Local Government Area. The action paralysed learning in public schools across the state for several weeks.
The national directive was issued by NUT National President, Audu Amba, and Secretary General, Dr Clinton Ikpitibo, while the Oyo State chapter implemented it under the leadership of Chairman Hassan Fatai and Secretary Salami Olukayode.
Before the suspension of the strike, the Oyo State Government repeatedly appealed to the union to consider the disruption to the academic calendar. Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade, said government understood the concerns of teachers but warned that the prolonged closure of schools was having serious social and educational consequences.
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He also announced that the State Executive Council approved an initial N8.77 billion for the procurement of teaching and learning materials for primary and junior secondary schools as part of broader efforts to strengthen the education sector.
Governor Makinde had equally assured residents that security agencies were intensifying efforts to rescue the kidnapped teachers and pupils, urging the union to allow academic activities to resume while rescue operations continued.
With the suspension of the industrial action, teachers are expected to return to duty immediately, while pupils and students will resume academic activities in public primary and secondary schools across Oyo State.
The reopening brings to an end weeks of disruption that left thousands of learners out of school following one of the state’s most devastating school kidnapping incidents in recent years.
