.President to deploy 1,000 forest guards, sends Ribadu, Musa to Ogbomoso
.Security challenges pose threat to int’l peace- SERAP
.NUT declares indefinite strike in Oyo
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Eminent personalities and groups in Nigeria weekend decried worsening insecurity in the country; warning that killings, mass abductions, displacements and have become rapid and unchallenged.
The groups also called on the federal government to quickly devolve, decentralize and restructure the country’s security command system and allow traditional institutions to take roles in mobilizing and harnessing security information for agencies.
The developments come even as a high-powered presidential delegation arrived in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, following the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
In joining the rising spate of public outcry, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) called on United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, to urgently invoke Article 99 of the UN Charter, warning that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity now poses a threat to international peace and security.
In a statement issued on Sunday through its official social media page and an open letter dated May 30, 2026, SERAP said the UN must bring the mass abductions, killings and displacement in Nigeria to the attention of the Security Council without delay.
The organisation said, “Nigeria’s escalating insecurity and grave human rights violations are reflected in repeated abductions, killings, attacks on civilians, and mass displacement in Oyo, Benue, Borno, Plateau, Kaduna, Zamfara, and several other parts of the country.”
It added that the scale of the crisis had gone beyond domestic concern, arguing that “the scale, persistence, and regional implications of the insecurity and grave human rights crisis in Nigeria pose a threat to international peace and security.”
SERAP said Article 99 of the UN Charter was designed for situations requiring urgent international action, stressing that Nigeria’s condition now demands preventive diplomacy and a coordinated global response.
According to the organisation, “Article 99 of the UN Charter is designed precisely for situations in which emerging or ongoing crises require urgent preventive diplomacy, sustained international scrutiny, and coordinated international action.”
It warned that years of violence across multiple states had created widespread humanitarian crisis, suffering and trauma; adding that the situation now requireds urgent intervention to prevent further deterioration.
In detailing the scale of violence, SERAP said Nigeria was facing repeated mass abductions of schoolchildren, commuters, women and rural residents, alongside killings and attacks on farming communities by armed groups and criminal networks.
The group cited the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State as an example of the deepening crisis, recalling that armed men attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area, where “at least 25 pupils and seven teachers were abducted” while an assistant headmaster was killed.
It also referenced reports of attacks in Benue State where students and travelers were abducted while traveling for university entrance examinations. It also cited bombings in Maiduguri, Borno State, which reportedly killed at least 23 people and injured more than 100 others.
SERAP further highlighted killings and raids in Katsina and Adamawa states, noting that coordinated attacks left dozens dead and many others abducted. It described the trend as evidence of a “rapidly deteriorating” security situation.
“The crisis in Nigeria is not merely a domestic law-enforcement issue,” the organisation said, warning that cross-border movement of armed groups, displacement and instability now have regional consequences across West Africa.”
It added that “there is no effective protection of people and communities, with frequent reports of a pattern of large-scale violence across multiple states.”
SERAP also pointed to growing international concern, noting previous UN statements condemning attacks in Nigeria and urging accountability for perpetrators, alongside warnings that insecurity was worsening humanitarian conditions and food insecurity across the region.
The organisation argued that the Secretary-General’s previous invocation of Article 99 in other global crises underscored its relevance in situations involving large-scale civilian harm and regional destabilisation.
SERAP therefore urged Guterres to place Nigeria’s insecurity before the Security Council, request regular briefings on attacks and displacement, and push for coordinated international monitoring of the humanitarian situation.
It also called for strengthened civilian protection measures, independent investigations into attacks, accountability for perpetrators, and international support to prevent further escalation of violence.
The appeal comes as Nigeria continues to grapple with recurring mass abductions, rural attacks and insurgent violence across several regions, raising fresh concerns over state capacity to protect civilians and contain widening insecurity.
In his contribution on the state of insecurity in the country, a retired Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) Justice Nwada Balami, advocated the immediate creation of a corps of rural informants across the 774 local government areas of the country and Abuja.
Balami said the corps should be led by traditional rulers for the policing of the nation’s territories.
Justice Balami reasoned that with a Corps of informants at every nook and cranny of the country, including villages and wards, it would be difficult for outsiders to infiltrate any community without being detected promptly and fished out on arrival before they could cause havoc.
He told newsmen in an interview in Gwagwalada that foreign bandits and terrorist elements were taking undue advantage of the citizens due to the large size of unpoliced spaces, especially forests in the country.
The retired judicial officer advised the Federal Government to effectively incorporate traditional rulers into the nation’s security architecture in a manner that would enable them to serve as heads of a corps of informants that would work closely with security agencies across the country.
He also suggested that traditional rulers should be held accountable for any security lapses or failures arising from their territories.
“I keep on telling people that we are all partners in progress and we are partners in what is happening now. Bandits are not spirits, they are human beings like us, but people are not ready to volunteer information on them and what is their number in terms of population?
“People are supposed to volunteer information to security agencies when these people arrive because I know that formerly, if somebody is coming to any town, such as Gwagwalada, he will first meet with the Mai-anguwa (district head) before you talk of village head. This system of information enabled the communities to know why the person is here and for how long the person will stay and what his mission is. This thing is no longer in practice today.
“So, we have a very poor situation where people can come and go without residents knowing their mission, their aims of visiting and their objectives.
“Everybody is coming and there are no monitoring of all these people coming into the country and we do not know them. So, once you don’t know them, we are really in problem. We are really in serious crisis because many of them do not come with good intention,” he remarked.
Justice Balami urged the government to quicken action on the laws establishing the community policing system by first recruiting rural residents as informants to help security personnel with vital information on the movement of foreigners and other visitors.
“Let the government make full use of the previous system used by our traditional institutions, and they should be involved right from Mai-anguwa to the ward level to the chief and the emir levels in security issues.
“They should be fully involved in the security planning system. At the end of the day, we should share information, and that is the most important thing. So, that is why I said we are partners in progress.”
In the meantime, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, has directed the sustained deployment of police personnel and operational assets to identified black spots, strategic locations and entry and exit points across the state.
According to the command, the measure is being implemented in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure “the continued safety and security of all residents and visitors in Lagos State.”
The command assured residents that adequate measures had been put in place to safeguard lives and property. He encouraged Lagosians to go about their lawful activities without fear.
The command also called on members of the public to support security agencies by remaining vigilant and providing timely and credible information on suspicious persons, movements and activities within their communities, noting that public cooperation remains critical to crime prevention and public safety.
As the security debate rages in the pubic space, a high-powered presidential delegation has arrived in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, following the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area.
The delegation is led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and includes the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; the Inspector-General of Police, Tunde Disu; the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa; Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe; and the Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications, Sunday Dare.
The delegation is expected to visit the affected communities where armed men reportedly raided Baptist Nursery and Primary School and other locations, abducting about 46 pupils and teachers.
The incident occurred in the Ogbomoso axis of Oyo State and has sparked widespread concern across the country.
According to the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who disclosed the development in a post on X on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu had already activated a series of coordinated efforts aimed at securing the release of the victims and apprehending those responsible for the attack.
“A powerful Presidential Delegation just arrived Ogbomoso en route to the villages of Esiele and Yawota where armed men simultaneously raided Baptist Nursery and Primary schools seizing about 46 pupils and teachers,” Dare wrote.
He added that the President had directed security agencies to intensify rescue operations and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
The visit comes amid growing anxiety among residents and relatives of the abducted victims, who have continued to appeal to both the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to secure the safe release of those still in captivity.
As part of immediate measures to strengthen security in the area, President Tinubu has approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State in collaboration with the state government.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The delegation also informed community leaders and lawmakers that their request for the establishment of a military base in the area would be conveyed to the President for consideration and approval.
In addition, the President has directed a specialized security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.
Addressing residents in both English and Yoruba, Gbajabiamila said the President’s decision to dispatch the nation’s top security leadership to the affected communities reflected his determination to deploy every available resource towards securing the victims’ release.
“Mr. President is deeply troubled by this incident. Whatever it takes, our children and teachers will be brought back home safely. He has issued all necessary directives and is providing every support required by our security agencies to achieve that objective.
“Your pain and anxiety are understood. By the grace of God, your children will return safely to your arms.
“Mr. President also saw the appeals from some parents and community members urging caution in the rescue efforts. Let me assure you that the operation will be intelligence-led and carefully coordinated, deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to secure the safe return of the victims,” he said.
The delegation was also at the palace of the Soun of Ogbomoso land, HRM Kabiyesi Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye, to commiserate with him and his people. The delegation also met with the wife of the deceased school Teacher, Mrs. Mary Oyedokun and her two children. Femi Gbajabiamila delivered the President’s condolences with a promise that the family will not suffer.
Also within the period, the Lagos State Police Command has dismissed a viral video circulating on social media showing the arrest of some Fulani men allegedly found with arms and ammunition in Ikorodu, clarifying that the footage is an old clip from an incident that occurred more than three years ago.
The command said the video does not reflect the current security situation in Ikorodu or any part of Lagos State and warned that its recirculation as a recent event could cause unnecessary panic among residents.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said presenting the outdated footage as a fresh incident was misleading and capable of creating fear and apprehension among members of the public.
“The video currently circulating on social media platforms depicting the arrest of some Fulani men allegedly found in possession of arms and ammunition in Ikorodu, Lagos State, is an old clip of an incident that occurred over three years ago and does not reflect the current security situation in Ikorodu or any part of Lagos State,” the statement read.
The police urged residents to disregard the video and refrain from sharing unverified information capable of undermining public confidence and peace.
The command also warned social media users and content creators against disseminating false, unverified and alarmist reports, stressing that those found deliberately spreading misinformation would face legal consequences.
“Individuals found deliberately spreading misinformation or fake news will be investigated and prosecuted in accordance with extant laws,” the statement stated.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has directed all teachers of public primary and secondary schools in Oyo State to embark on indefinite strike from Monday, June 1, 2026 in sympathy with seven teachers and 39 pupils kidnapped from schools in Orire Local Government area on May 15, 2026.
The NUT gave the directive in a statement issued on Sunday and jointly signed by its National President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba and General Secretary, Dr Clinton J. Ikpitibo.
The statement directed teachers in Oyo State to stay away from classrooms until all the seven teachers and 39 pupils kidnapped on May 15, 2026 are rescued from their abductors.
The union’s national leadership said the decision became necessary following growing concerns over the fate of the abducted teachers and students, who were kidnapped since May 15, 2026.
According to NUT, several efforts and appeals made to relevant authorities and security agencies have not produced the expected outcome, leading the union to suspend academic activities indefinitely.
As part of measures to further draw public attention to the situation, the union directed its state chapters nationwide to organise solidarity rallies on June 2, 2026, to call for improved security in schools and urgent action to rescue those still in captivity.
The NUT noted that fears have deepened amid reports suggesting that some of the victims may have lost their lives, while videos released from captivity continue to show abductees pleading for assistance and intervention.
Union leaders emphasized that schools must remain safe spaces for learning and condemned attacks on teachers and students.
They urged the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, and security agencies to intensify efforts aimed at securing the immediate release of all those affected.
The union maintained that meaningful teaching and learning cannot take place under an atmosphere of fear, insisting that its industrial action will continue until every abducted teacher and student is safely reunited with their families.
