Violence broke out on Tuesday in Ibadan as rival student groups clashed during protests over the abduction of dozens of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area. The confrontation involved members of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), led by its president Babtee, and activists from the Take It Back Movement.
The protest was triggered by the May 15 kidnapping of 39 pupils aged between two and 16, alongside seven teachers, from three schools in Oriire. The victims remain in captivity despite ongoing security operations and repeated assurances from the Oyo State government.
According to NANS officials, the clash began when their convoy, reportedly consisting of about 40 vehicles, was obstructed by Take It Back protesters en route to the affected communities. The student body accused the group of attempting to disrupt what it described as a peaceful solidarity visit.
“We were mobilising to demand urgent action and show support to the victims’ families when we were suddenly mobbed,” a NANS spokesperson said. “Our members were attacked without provocation.”
However, the Take It Back Movement offered a sharply different account. In a statement, the group alleged that NANS members arrived armed and initiated the violence. Witnesses claimed that individuals wielding machetes, sticks, and firearms descended on protesters, causing panic and injuries.
“They came like thugs, not students,” one protester said. “There were gunshots. People were running in all directions, including children who got caught in the chaos.”
Videos circulating on social media appear to show scenes of confusion, with crowds pushing and fleeing amid loud bangs believed to be gunfire. Smoke was also visible in parts of the footage, though it remains unclear what caused it.
Emergency responders were reportedly called to the scene, and several individuals sustained injuries, though authorities have yet to release an official casualty count.
The incident has drawn renewed attention to the worsening security situation in parts of Oyo State. Despite earlier pledges by Governor Seyi Makinde to secure the safe release of the abducted victims, families say they are growing increasingly frustrated with the pace of progress.
Both NANS and the Take It Back Movement have called for an independent investigation into Tuesday’s violence, each blaming the other for instigating the clash. Civil society groups have also urged restraint, warning that infighting among protesters risks overshadowing the central demand for the victims’ safe return.
As security agencies continue their operations in Oriire, the focus remains on rescuing the abducted children and teachers. But Tuesday’s confrontation highlights the deepening tensions, and desperation, surrounding one of the state’s most troubling recent kidnappings.