Governor Seyi Makinde has appealed to the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State to suspend its ongoing strike and reopen public schools shut in protest over the abduction of teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area.
The governor assured residents that security agencies and the state government were intensifying efforts to secure the release of the victims and bring the situation under control.
Makinde’s appeal was conveyed on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, following the State Executive Council meeting in Ibadan.
According to Oyelade, while the concerns that prompted the strike action were understandable, the prolonged closure of schools could have far-reaching social and economic consequences for pupils, parents and the wider society.
“While the reasons for the withdrawal of the students from school by the NUT are understandable, the collateral implications, both social and economic, are raising unintended concerns and should equally be considered by the NUT,” he said.
He added that the government was deploying strategic measures to ensure the safe rescue of those abducted in Oriire and restore confidence in the state’s education system.
Meanwhile, the State Executive Council approved ₦8.77 billion for the procurement of teaching and learning materials for primary and junior secondary schools across the state.
The intervention, which forms part of a broader ₦23 billion education project, will provide textbooks in numeracy, literacy, mathematics, English Language and Basic Science in line with the requirements of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the World Bank.
Oyelade explained that the successful distribution of the materials would qualify Oyo State for a performance-based disbursement of $2 per student per subject.
In another major decision, the council approved an upward review of the state’s 2026 budget from ₦892 billion to ₦1.1 trillion to fast-track infrastructure and other development projects.
The council also approved ₦5.9 billion for the 2026 Work Plan of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) programme, with a focus on health insurance and food security initiatives.
The Makinde administration maintained that interventions under the SAfER programme remain necessary in view of the prevailing economic challenges facing many residents.
Additionally, it endorsed the payment of $250,000 to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat as part of efforts to position Oyo State to attract greater investment opportunities across the continent.
The Secretary-General of AfCFTA was also said to have commended the governor for the state’s progress in implementing trade-related initiatives and creating an enabling environment for investment.