Some Nigerians have criticised the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) following its decision to suspend the strike action it began after the abduction of 46 teachers and students on May 15 at Ahoro-Esinele/Yawota in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The union had launched the action, described as a “withdrawal from classes,” to pressure the government into accelerating efforts to secure the release of those abducted and to strengthen security measures in schools.However, the suspension of the strike, announced on Wednesday despite the abductees still being in captivity and with no publicly visible security improvements in schools, has triggered reactions from some Nigerians.
An Ogbomoso-based lawyer, who requested anonymity, questioned the rationale behind the union’s decision while speaking with Star Potter. He wondered why the strike was called off without a clear resolution to the abduction incident.
He asked what had been achieved through the action and questioned whether those abducted had been rescued or whether additional security had been introduced in schools. He expressed surprise at the decision, saying he struggled to understand what changed to justify ending the strike.
Another resident, identified simply as Mr. Gbadegesin, expressed concern about the safety of children and community members, while questioning whether the unresolved abduction case could become prolonged.Similarly, an Ibadan resident, Wasiu Adeogun, criticised the decision, arguing that suspending the strike while affected teachers and students remained in captivity raised concerns.
According to him, there had been no clear indication that security concerns had been fully addressed or that promises made by government authorities had translated into visible action. He questioned whether enough had been done to improve school safety and prevent similar incidents.Adeogun added that while schools cannot remain closed indefinitely, he believed stakeholders should have seen more progress on the case before ending the industrial action. He also expressed concern that unresolved cases could weaken public confidence in school security.
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