In a statement issued on Thursday and titled “President Tinubu: Where Are Our Children?”, the groups said at least 81 Nigerian schoolchildren remained in captivity as the country marked the 2026 Children’s Day celebration.
“Yesterday, Wednesday, 27 May 2026, was Children’s Day in Nigeria – an annual holiday to celebrate Nigeria’s children and reflect on government’s efforts to build a thriving future for the new generation,” the statement read.
“Alas, as we marked this year’s celebration, nothing less than 81 Nigerian school children are languishing in captivity.”
The signatories said the figure included “39 primary and secondary pupil alongside 7 teachers” abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as well as “another 42 children” allegedly kidnapped by suspected Boko Haram militants during an attack on Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The statement identified the affected schools in Oyo State as Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esinele; and L.A. Primary School, Ahoro-Esinele.
The activists also referenced the killing of one of the abducted teachers, saying, “Mr. Oyedokun Olugbade, was beheaded a few days ago.”
“It is only right on the occasion of this year’s Children’s Day celebration that we ask President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: Where are our abducted children? Why have they not been found?” the statement added.
The groups accused both the federal and state governments of failing to take decisive action since the abductions occurred.
“Sadly, since the tragic abduction, Nigeria’s government, both at the Federal and State levels, has mostly carried on with business as usual, occasionally offering platitudinous statements of assurance while doing absolutely nothing to rescue our beloved children,” they said.
According to the statement, the government possesses the intelligence and surveillance capacity needed to track down the victims.
“We say this because we know quite well, from our experience as civil society activists who have been regularly subjected to hostile surveillance, that Nigeria’s government and its security agencies possess the wherewithal to locate anyone within the territory of the nation,” the statement said.
The signatories questioned why such technology was allegedly not being deployed to rescue abducted children.
“The question, therefore, is: why is this state of the art surveillance technology not being deployed to rescue our children?” they asked.
The groups also referenced President Tinubu’s alleged involvement in preventing a coup attempt in the Republic of Benin.
“Why is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu unable to deploy the same firepower and reconnaissance capacity that he so effortlessly deployed in December last year to thwart, on behalf of France, a coup against former President Talon of the Republic of Benin?” the statement queried.
The activists further criticised the administration’s handling of insecurity, comparing it to the response of former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction.
“Just like former President Jonathan in 2014 when the Chibok girls were abducted, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is as clueless about what to do to curb the rampaging insecurity afflicting Nigeria,” the statement said.
“It is the same nonchalance and lack of concern of the Jonathan years that we see today seeing as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his ministers, and national assembly members had no problem cavorting at their recent party primaries even as over 81 children languish in a terrorist’s den.”
The groups maintained that citizens’ safety should take precedence over politics and elections.
“While elections are undeniably important, the safety of the lives of average Nigerians and their welfare are more important. A government unable to guarantee this is a failed government. Such a government has no moral authority to ask citizens to vote for it at the next election,” they stated.
They concluded by calling for nationwide peaceful protests to pressure the government into securing the release of all abducted Nigerians.
“The time has come for the Nigerian working people and youth including trade unions and civil society organizations to hit the street in peaceful nationwide protest to call on President Tinubu to free all Nigerians in captivity including the 81 Ahoro Esinle and Askira-Uba children and guarantee security of lives for all or honorably resign,” the statement added.
The statement was signed by 15 activists and civil society leaders, including rapper Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz; Hassan Taiwo Soweto of the #EndBadGovernanceMovement; Mike Igaga of the Moses Oisakede Leadership Foundation; and Adaramoye Michael of the Youth Rights Campaign.
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