The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has urged the Federal Government not to “surrender schools, children, or the nation’s future” to armed criminal groups, insisting that safe school policies must move beyond documentation into urgent and effective implementation.
The organisation made the call while reacting to the abduction of schoolchildren, teachers, and school officials during coordinated attacks on educational institutions in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State.
In a statement issued on Monday by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, and titled “When Children Are Hunted In Classrooms, Silence Becomes Complicity,” CAN described the incident as a devastating reflection of worsening insecurity in parts of the country.
Okoh said the attacks represented a “horrifying collapse of security” and a direct assault on national conscience, warning that continued inaction could further embolden criminal networks operating across different regions.
He expressed outrage over reports that heavily armed assailants invaded multiple schools in broad daylight, killing residents, terrorising communities, and abducting pupils and teachers without resistance.
According to him, the development is no longer an isolated security incident but part of a growing pattern of organised violence expanding into previously stable regions.
CAN also mourned the reported killing of an Assistant Headmaster who allegedly attempted to protect pupils during the attack, describing his death as a painful sacrifice that must not go unrecognised.
The association further condemned what it described as the growing normalisation of mass abductions, warning that repeated attacks without decisive consequences were eroding public trust in national security institutions.
Okoh said the sight of terrified teachers and vulnerable children being taken from classrooms represents a “national humiliation” that no responsible society should accept.
He added that Nigerian families are increasingly overwhelmed by recurring tragedies accompanied by statements of condolence but limited visible action against perpetrators.
The statement warned that kidnapping and armed criminal activity, once concentrated in parts of the northern region, are now spreading into other parts of the country, including the South-West, raising concerns about wider national insecurity.
CAN called on the Federal Government, security agencies, and the Oyo State Government to respond with urgency and coordinated force to secure the release of abducted victims and dismantle the networks behind the attacks.
The organisation insisted that intelligence and security resources must be fully deployed to track down the perpetrators and ensure they are brought to justice without delay.
It also urged authorities to prioritise the protection of rural communities, forest routes, and suspected hideouts used by armed groups, stressing the need for proactive rather than reactive security measures.
According to CAN, safe school initiatives must be implemented in practical terms rather than existing as policy statements while schools remain vulnerable to attacks.
The association reaffirmed its solidarity with affected families, church communities, and residents of Oriire Local Government Area, expressing hope for the safe return of abducted victims.
Okoh noted that when children are attacked in their classrooms, silence becomes complicity and delay in response only deepens the crisis.
Meanwhile, the State chapter had condemned the attack declaring Wednesday, May 20, as a day of fasting and prayer across churches in the state.
In a statement issued on Monday in Ibadan, the state CAN Chairman, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya, described the attack as disturbing and heartbreaking.
“We condemn this act in the strongest terms. Schools must remain safe spaces for learning, not hunting grounds for criminals.
“The trauma inflicted on these children, their teachers, and their families is immeasurable,” the association stated.
CAN said it was deeply saddened by the invasion of the affected communities and called for urgent action to secure the release of all abducted victims.
The association, while acknowledging the response already initiated by the Oyo State Government and security agencies, urged authorities to intensify efforts to rescue the 46 persons reportedly kidnapped during the attack.
It also called on government at all levels to strengthen security in vulnerable rural communities, investigate the incident thoroughly and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
According to the association, practical steps must be taken to prevent future occurrences, including the establishment of community-based security structures and effective school safety measures.
CAN further appealed to residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information that could aid ongoing rescue operations.
The body directed all churches in the state to observe fasting and prayer on Wednesday, with the exercise ending at 6:00 p.m.
It said the prayer session would focus on the safe release of the abducted victims, divine protection over the state and repentance for those responsible for the attack.
“We continue to pray for the safe return of these abductees and for the exposure and defeat of those behind this evil act,” the statement added.
