A coordinated security operation involving multiple Nigerian security agencies, intelligence services, and local security groups has led to the successful rescue of pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The victims, who were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, regained their freedom after weeks of intelligence gathering and sustained operations spearheaded by the Nigerian Army alongside other security agencies.
Announcing the rescue, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 2 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, said the mission was carefully planned to ensure all surviving victims were rescued safely.
The operation brought together the Nigerian Army, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), local vigilantes, hunters, and the Amotekun Corps.
According to the Army, the month-long operation focused on tracking the kidnappers’ leadership, dismantling their criminal network, and disrupting their logistics and intelligence operations within the Old Oyo National Park forest.
The operation resulted in the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers, who are currently in DSS custody, while several other members of the criminal group were killed during the mission.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu confirmed that all rescued victims were freed alive and emphasized that the Federal Government neither paid ransom nor accepted the kidnappers’ demand for the release of a Boko Haram commander facing terrorism charges.
The President also directed emergency response agencies to work with the Oyo State Government to provide medical care and other forms of support for the rescued pupils and teachers.
The Nigerian Army explained that the rescue mission was designed to minimize risks and prevent harm to the abducted children and teachers, although some security personnel sustained casualties during the operation.
The victims were abducted after armed men attacked Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area. During the attack, Assistant Headmaster Joel Adesiyan lost his life while attempting to escape, while another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed by the kidnappers during captivity.
The successful rescue has been welcomed by residents of Ogbomoso and nearby communities, as well as political stakeholders, who have praised the operation and called for stronger measures to improve the security of schools across the country.
