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The Nigerian Senate condemned the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State on Tuesday, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio describing the incident as a national tragedy.
Addressing lawmakers upon the resumption of plenary, Akpabio labelled the mass kidnapping an assault on the nation’s collective humanity.
He lamented Nigeria’s inability to fully guarantee the safety of children and educators, warning that persistent insecurity threatens both the country’s future and its educational system.
Akpabio paid tribute to the victims of the attack, including Michael Oyedokun, who died in captivity, Adesiyan Adegboye, who was killed during the incident, and a child victim who also lost his life.
After declaring their loss and sorrow as a shared national pain, the Senate president led lawmakers in a minute of silence to honour the deceased.
He expressed hope that security agencies and government authorities would soon secure the freedom of those still held captive.
To tackle the country’s worsening security challenges, Akpabio directed Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele to schedule a date for a proposed security summit.
The Senate’s action follows growing national concern over mass kidnappings, highlighted by the May 15 attack on three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where criminals abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, protests, and an indefinite strike by teachers across the state.
Meanwhile, Akpabio reassured senators who recently lost their party nominations during primaries for the 2027 general elections.
He stated that the Senate leadership is actively working to address concerns arising from the primaries.
His remarks follow reports that several serving senators failed to secure their parties’ backing, creating significant uncertainty over their political futures ahead of the 2027 elections.
