Teachers across major Nigerian cities demonstrated on Tuesday against the alarming rise in kidnappings and attacks targeting educational institutions by armed groups. The protests follow recent incidents including the abduction of at least 46 pupils and staff from three schools in Oyo state on May 15, attributed by the army to jihadists, and the simultaneous kidnapping of over 42 individuals, including young children, from schools in Borno state. While kidnapping for ransom is a persistent issue in northern Nigeria, these mass abductions are notably concerning for the typically more secure Oyo state. Protesters in Ibadan and Lagos demanded the swift release of abducted students and condemned the escalating insecurity, with one activist describing it as an "epidemic of attacks on school." The Oyo state teachers' union has begun an indefinite strike, though a nationwide strike is not currently planned.