PRESS STATEMENT
The Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD) has formally petitioned Education International (EI), the global federation representing teachers and education workers worldwide, over the continued abduction of teachers and students in Oyo State, Nigeria, and the Federal Government’s inability to secure their release more than two weeks after the incident.
In a letter addressed to the leadership of Education International, FOSAD strongly condemned the terrorist attack on three schools in Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15, 2026, during which armed terrorists abducted seven teachers and thirty-nine pupils and students.
The academic body described the incident as one of the most disturbing attacks on education in recent Nigerian history and expressed outrage over the brutal beheading of a mathematics teacher, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, during the attack. FOSAD noted that the murder of an educator whose only crime was serving his community represents a direct assault on the teaching profession and the future of Nigerian children.
According to FOSAD, the continued captivity of the abducted teachers and students highlights the worsening insecurity facing schools across Nigeria and demonstrates the failure of authorities to provide adequate protection for educational institutions.
The organization expressed deep concern that despite widespread public outrage, emotional appeals by family members, and sustained advocacy by education stakeholders, the victims remain in captivity while government efforts have yielded little progress.
FOSAD criticized what it described as the Federal Government’s lackadaisical response to the crisis, accusing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of failing to accord education the priority it deserves.
“The Nigerian education sector is under siege. Teachers and students have become soft targets for terrorists, kidnappers, and criminal elements. Yet, government response has been grossly inadequate. We are witnessing a dangerous situation where those responsible for shaping the future of our nation are being abandoned to their fate,” the organization stated.
FOSAD further lamented that teachers across the country continue to work under extremely difficult conditions characterized by poor welfare, insecurity, inadequate infrastructure, and increasing threats to their lives.
The group noted that the abduction in Oyo State is part of a disturbing trend of attacks on schools that threatens to reverse decades of progress in educational development and discourage parents from sending their children to school.
FOSAD also drew attention to the indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on June 1, 2026, describing the action as a reflection of the growing frustration and anger within the teaching profession.
FOSAD urged Education International to immediately raise the matter before relevant international bodies, including the United Nations, UNESCO, UNICEF, and other global institutions committed to protecting education in conflict and crisis situations.
The Forum appealed to Education International to issue a strong global statement condemning the attack and demanding the unconditional release of all abducted teachers and students.
“We call on Education International to stand in solidarity with Nigerian teachers and learners. The international community cannot remain silent while teachers are murdered, students are abducted, and schools become battlefields. An attack on teachers anywhere is an attack on teachers everywhere,” FOSAD stated.
The group further expressed concern that while government agencies often demonstrate remarkable efficiency in monitoring and tracking political activists and critics of government policies, the same urgency has not been applied in locating and rescuing innocent teachers and schoolchildren held by terrorists.
FOSAD warned that unless urgent and decisive action is taken, Nigeria risks witnessing a collapse of confidence in the education system, particularly in rural communities where insecurity has become rampant.
“Education may become endangered if teachers and students continue to be exposed to these threats without adequate protection. No society can develop when its classrooms are turned into crime scenes and its teachers become targets of violence,” the statement added.
FOSAD therefore calls on the Federal Government to intensify rescue operations, strengthen security around schools, prosecute perpetrators of attacks on educational institutions, and implement comprehensive measures to safeguard teachers and learners across the country.
FOSAD concluded by expressing hope that international pressure and advocacy would compel authorities to take more decisive action toward ending attacks on schools and ensuring that every child and teacher in Nigeria can learn and work in safety and dignity.
Signed
Dr Stephen Nwala
President, Forum of South East Academic Doctors (FOSAD)
Dr Uzor Ngoladi
Secretary General, Forum of South East Academic Doctors (FOSAD)
www.fosads.org
