The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, demanding the immediate rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State.

The group warned that failure to secure their release within the deadline would amount to a grave violation of the government’s constitutional duty to protect lives and property.

The victims were abducted onFriday, May 16, 2026, when armed men invaded the Ahoro-Esinle axis of Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State, attacking school communities and whisking away pupils and teachers in a coordinated assault that threw the area into panic.

Security sources later confirmed that dozens of children and several teachers were taken into captivity during the raid.

More than two weeks after the incident, the abducted pupils and teachers remain in captivity, despite ongoing search-and-rescue operations and rising public protests across Oyo State and other parts of the country.

In a statement signed on Saturday by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group said it was alarmed by what it described as the prolonged silence and limited success in efforts to free the victims.

“It is sad that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was shown during the last Sallah holiday enjoying the religious ceremony with his equally happy grandchildren, but it is timely to remind the President that the Oyo State children held in bondage are our own children and kinsmen,” the group stated.

HURIWA said every additional day the victims spend in captivity represents a deepening national tragedy and a further indictment of Nigeria’s security architecture.

The organisation therefore called on President Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to ensure the safe and immediate release of all abducted pupils and teachers within 24 hours.

“The continued captivity of these victims raises profound questions about the effectiveness of the nation’s security response and the government’s ability to fulfil its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property,” the statement added.

The group anchored its demand on Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, which places the security and welfare of citizens at the core of governance, arguing that no government can claim legitimacy while schoolchildren remain in the custody of armed criminals for weeks.

HURIWA also expressed support for ongoing protests in Ibadan by teachers, parents, and civil society organisations, describing the demonstrations as a justified reaction to an unacceptable situation.

However, it criticised what it called the weak response from organised labour and student unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), insisting they should have mounted stronger nationwide pressure.

“The abduction of schoolchildren is an attack on education and the future of Nigeria,” HURIWA said, urging civil society organisations, religious leaders, and professional bodies to intensify peaceful advocacy until the victims are freed.

The group further warned against what it described as the normalisation of mass abductions in the country, saying Nigeria must not become desensitised to recurring attacks on schools.

Meanwhile, security agencies are continuing search-and-rescue operations, while families of the abducted victims remain in anguish and uncertainty over their fate.

The Oyo State Government had earlier confirmed the incident and assured residents that efforts were ongoing to secure their release, even as pressure mounts on federal authorities to deliver faster results.