Afrobeats star Davido has spoken out over the prolonged abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, saying Nigeria cannot focus on protecting its international image while innocent children remain in the hands of kidnappers.

Singer condemns silence over insecurity

Speaking during an interview with the BBC’s Focus on Africa, the music star said the country must confront its security challenges instead of pretending they do not exist.

“A lot of people don’t really want to talk about what goes on in my country, simply because you want to protect the image. But there is no image to protect if little kids are being kidnapped,” Davido said.

He explained that although he was honoured to perform at the FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert, he felt it was important to draw global attention to the plight of the abducted children.

50 days in captivity

Davido’s comments relate to the May 15 attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, where gunmen abducted about 39 pupils and seven teachers after invading the schools.

A mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly killed during the attack.

The victims have now spent about 50 days in captivity, with reports suggesting they are being held within the Old Oyo National Park area as security agencies continue rescue efforts.

Governor Seyi Makinde has imposed security measures in affected communities and maintained that efforts to secure the victims’ release are ongoing.

‘Bring Them Home’ campaign

Earlier in June, Davido used his appearance at the FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert in Los Angeles to advocate for the victims.

He wore a customised black leather jacket bearing the names of the abducted pupils and teachers, with the inscription “BRING THEM HOME” displayed prominently on the back.

The gesture drew international attention to the incident and reignited conversations about the growing threat of school kidnappings in Nigeria.

Mixed reactions trail comments

Davido’s latest remarks have generated widespread reactions online.

While many Nigerians applauded him for using his global platform to highlight the crisis, others urged caution, arguing that excessive publicity could affect ongoing efforts to secure the victims’ release.

The Oyo State Government and security agencies have continued to assure families that operations to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers remain active.

“A lot of people don't really want to talk about what goes on in my country, simply because you want to protect the image but there is no image to protect if little kids are being k!dnapped.” — Davido talks about the k!dnapped children and teachers in Oyo pic.twitter.com/B17P2tZUis

— YabaLeftOnline (@yabaleftonline) July 5, 2026