Members of the Take It Back Movement locked down major transit routes in Ibadan on Monday, June 22, 2026, bringing traffic to a standstill at the strategic Iwo Road interchange and demanding the immediate rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted from Oriire Local Government Area schools more than six weeks ago.
The demonstration, which began at approximately 10:00 a.m., blocked one of the most critical junctions connecting major parts of Ibadan, drawing thousands of commuters into gridlock. Protesters carried placards calling for an end to kidnapping and demanding action from both the federal and state governments. National Coordinator of the movement, Juwon Sanyaolu, said the action was part of a sustained campaign since the abduction began.
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Sanyaolu stressed that the campaign extended beyond Oyo State, demanding the freedom of all Nigerians held in captivity across the country. He criticised politicians for focusing on the 2027 elections while security challenges continued to claim lives and traumatise communities. Security forces monitored the demonstration but did not disperse the crowd.
The protest added to growing public pressure on Governor Seyi Makinde, who confirmed earlier that a Nigerian Army lieutenant was killed two days ago during ongoing rescue operations. Makinde said he could not provide operational details but assured protesters that the children were believed to be alive and that intensive efforts were continuing. Police debunked viral social media claims that the victims had already been rescued, urging the public not to spread misinformation.
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Meanwhile, Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho clarified on Monday that his recent advocacy on insecurity in the South-West was directed at criminal elements and not at any ethnic group, following pressure from the Concerned Fulani People of Nigeria, who called on authorities to caution him. Igboho said his call for improved security transcended ethnicity and religion. Furthermore, Oyo State Government issued a seven-day notice for relatives to claim unclaimed corpses from public mortuaries. Consequently, a wave of grief and civic anger is converging on Ibadan and across Oyo as the abduction crisis enters its seventh week.
