Juliet Oladele, Reporting
SCORES of members of the Hausa community in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, took to the streets on Thursday to call on residents to stop what they described as ethnic profiling and stigmatisation following recent kidnapping incidents in parts of the state.
The protesters, who marched through areas of the city carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, expressed concern over what they termed the unfair association of their ethnic group with criminal activities, particularly kidnapping.
Speaking during the demonstration, community leaders insisted that criminality should not be linked to any particular ethnic group, stressing that individuals responsible for crimes should be identified and prosecuted without generalising their actions to an entire community.
According to the protesters, the Hausa community has coexisted peacefully with other ethnic groups in Ibadan and across Oyo State for decades, contributing significantly to the state’s social and economic development.
“We are law-abiding citizens and residents of Oyo State. It is unjust to label an entire ethnic group because of the actions of a few criminal elements,” one community representative said.
The protesters called on the government, security agencies, traditional leaders, and residents of the state to avoid statements and actions capable of fuelling ethnic tension and division.
They further urged authorities to focus on intelligence gathering and effective law enforcement rather than ethnic profiling, warning that stigmatisation could undermine efforts to tackle insecurity.
The demonstration comes amid heightened concern over insecurity in Oyo State following the abduction of more than 40 pupils and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, all located in Oriire Local Government Area.
The victims were reportedly kidnapped by suspected gunmen during coordinated attacks on the schools on May 15, 2026, and remain in captivity.
The incident sparked widespread outrage across the state and prompted the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) to direct its members in Oyo State to embark on an indefinite strike pending the rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers.
It also triggered protests in several communities. Earlier this week, hundreds of residents of Ogbomoso took to the streets, blocking major roads and highways to demand urgent action from the government and security agencies to secure the release of the victims and address the growing insecurity in the state.
