Protesters demand Tinubu’s resignation over insecurity

SCORES of protesters on Thursday, June 4, converged on Abuja to demand the immediate rescue of abducted schoolchildren, teachers, and other Nigerians in Oyo State and across the country.

They also called on President Bola Tinubu to resign over worsening insecurity in the nation.

The protest, organised by the Take It Back Movement and led by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, commenced about 10am around the Federal High Court in Abuja amid a heavy deployment of security personnel.

Earlier in the day, security operatives mounted a strong presence around Eagle Square, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and adjoining roads. Armoured vehicles were stationed at strategic locations, while movement was partially restricted in parts of the city.

Protesters carrying placards bearing inscriptions such as “Protect Our Children,” “Education Not Abduction,” “Enough Is Enough,” and “Tinubu Must Go” accused the Federal Government of failing to protect citizens from escalating insecurity.

At the Federal High Court, demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans and called on the president to either secure the release of abducted pupils or step down from office.

Tensions briefly flared when police officers attempted to halt the procession. Protesters confronted the officers, arguing that the demonstration was also in defence of security personnel who had been killed due to the government’s inability to tackle insecurity.

While addressing the press, Sowore accused the government of prioritising the suppression of dissents instead of protecting citizens.

“Our governments have no interest in protecting you (Nigerians). Instead, they engage in frivolities, including arresting and charging people for things they say on Facebook,” he said.

He added that the protest was intended to compel the government to secure the release of the abducted children.

“The struggle today is to force Tinubu to free those kids or resign,” Sowore told The ICIR.

He further argued that the demonstration was also in the interest of security personnel.

“This struggle also involves the right of these soldiers and policemen to also live with dignity in this country, and that is why also fight for them. But the fact that we fight for them doesn’t mean we cannot march against them if they misbehave,” he said, referring to soldiers and police officers blocking the protesters.

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As the protesters attempted to move towards the Presidential Villa, security operatives blocked them at the Federal Secretariat. Soldiers were also stationed at strategic points to prevent the demonstrators from proceeding to Aso Villa.

The protesters accused the Federal Government of deploying state resources to silence dissents rather than focusing on rescuing abducted victims and addressing insecurity.

As of the time of filing this report, security personnel maintained their positions around key government facilities, while the demonstrators continued their protest under close surveillance.

Background

The protest comes amid growing public outrage over the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oyo and Borno states, and renewed concerns about insecurity in Nigerian schools.

The latest wave of anger followed the May 15, 2026, attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State — Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School — where armed men abducted dozens of pupils and teachers and killed a teacher during the operation.

Eyewitnesses said the attackers arrived on motorcycles, some dressed in military-style uniforms, before simultaneously invading the schools shortly after 9 a.m. They reportedly fired shots to disperse pupils and staff before rounding up victims and taking them away through nearby forest routes.

The Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde later confirmed that dozens of pupils and several teachers were abducted, while one teacher was killed. A viral video also showed another teacher beheaded by the kidnappers.

The attack sparked protests by parents, residents and civil society groups in Oyo State, particularly in Ibadan and Ogbomoso, where demonstrators demanded urgent government action to secure the release of the victims and improve security around schools.

It also prompted the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to direct teachers in Oyo State to withdraw their services. The union subsequently organised a nationwide solidarity protest across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on June 2.

Speaking during the protest in Abuja, the FCT Chairman of the NUT, Abdullahi Shafa, said the action was meant to express the union’s anger over the killing of a teacher and the abduction of pupils and staff.

He described the killing of the teacher as “touching, horrifying and devastating” and warned that such attacks were creating fear among teachers and threatening the country’s education system.

Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M

Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.