A Nigerian activist, Henry Shield, on Tuesday staged a one-man protest at the United Nations office in Abuja, calling for international support to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State over two weeks ago.
The demonstrator, who appeared at the UN complex with a banner bearing the inscription, “Our Children Should Not Sleep in Kidnappers’ Den,” urged the global community not to ignore the plight of the victims who were kidnapped on May 15 in communities within Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
Shield said the prolonged captivity of the schoolchildren and their teachers had assumed a humanitarian dimension that required urgent attention from both local and international stakeholders.
Speaking during the protest, he said he had submitted a letter to the United Nations, appealing for support in efforts to rescue the victims and ensure their safe return.
“Today, I staged a one-man protest at the United Nations office in Abuja and submitted a letter appealing for international support in rescuing our children who remain in the hands of kidnappers,” he said.
“The world should not abandon us at this time. Every parent, every human being, everyone must speak out. Our children must be brought back home safely.”
The activist also addressed a separate letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, describing the continued captivity of the pupils and teachers as a violation of fundamental human rights and the right to education.
He alleged that the victims were being held under harsh conditions and expressed concern over reports that one of the abducted teachers had been killed, warning that the remaining captives could face greater danger if urgent action was not taken.
The protest adds to growing public pressure on authorities over the abduction, with the Nigeria Union of Teachers, civil society organisations and other groups demanding stronger security measures and the immediate rescue of the victims.
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