By Stephen Simon
Popular Nigerian Afrobeats star, Davido, has drawn international attention to the plight of abducted schoolchildren and teachers from Oyo State after appearing at the FIFA World Cup Countdown Concert in Los Angeles wearing a custom-made jacket bearing their names.
The award-winning singer took to the stage at the concert, held as part of activities leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, wearing a black leather jacket emblazoned with the message “Bring Them Home” and the names of 39 abducted pupils and seven teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The victims were kidnapped in May when armed attackers invaded schools in the Ahoro-Esinele community of Oriire LGA, sparking nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over insecurity and attacks on educational institutions. The incident also reportedly claimed the lives of a school official, a motorcyclist and a teacher who later died in captivity.
Images and videos from the concert showed Davido proudly displaying the jacket while performing before a global audience, transforming what was expected to be a routine entertainment appearance into a powerful advocacy campaign for the victims’ safe return.
In a video shared ahead of his performance, the singer expressed sympathy for the affected families and called for urgent intervention by authorities.
“May God be with the families of the abducted and the ones who have been killed. They still haven’t been rescued. We are praying every day and also praying that the government hastens its intervention,” Davido said.
According to reports, the names of victims believed to still be in captivity were inscribed in white, while those who lost their lives during the incident were marked in red, further underscoring the human cost of the tragedy.
The concert, organised by FIFA as part of its countdown to the 2026 World Cup, featured performances by several international artists and was broadcast to audiences across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Davido was among the headline performers at the event.
His gesture has since generated widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians commending him for using his international platform to spotlight the plight of the abducted pupils and teachers and to amplify calls for their rescue.
The campaign has continued to gain momentum as families, civil society groups and concerned citizens intensify demands for the safe return of the victims and stronger measures to tackle insecurity in affected communities.
