The Yoruba Council of Elders has strongly condemned the abduction of students and teachers in Oyo State, calling on federal and state governments to secure their immediate release.
In a statement on Thursday, the group warned that schools are increasingly becoming hunting grounds for criminal gangs, a trend that threatens the future of education in Nigeria.
The YCE urged security agencies to step up patrols and intelligence gathering around schools, especially in vulnerable rural areas.
They also demanded that the government address the root causes of insecurity, including unemployment and poverty, which fuel kidnapping for ransom.
The abduction in Oyo is the latest in a series of school attacks across the country, raising fears among parents and educators.
Many Nigerians have criticised the authorities for failing to protect schools despite repeated pledges to do so. The YCE insisted that no child should be denied the right to learn in safety.
