Nigerian security forces have rescued dozens of schoolchildren and teachers abducted by suspected Islamist militants in Oyo state after 56 days in captivity, in an operation the military said dismantled a network linked to the extremist group Ansaru.
The rescue, announced on Friday, followed a month-long intelligence-led operation involving the army, intelligence agencies, police and local security groups, targeting the kidnappers’ camps and logistics network in and around the Old Oyo National Park.
In a statement issued by Lt Col Danjuma Danjuma, acting deputy director of public relations for the army’s 2 Division, the military said troops under the command of Maj Gen Chinedu Nnebeife worked alongside personnel from the National Counter Terrorism Centre, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), police, civil defence corps, Amotekun Corps, local vigilantes and hunters.
According to the army, 44 pupils and teachers were rescued during the operation, although earlier official accounts had put the number of abductees at 46, comprising 39 pupils and seven teachers. It was not immediately clear whether the military’s figure excluded two teachers who were killed during the ordeal.
The victims were seized on 15 May when gunmen 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, the assistant headmaster of L.A. Primary School, Joel Adesiyan, was shot dead while attempting to flee. Another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded while in captivity, according to previous official accounts.
The army said the operation focused not only on locating the hostages but also on identifying those responsible for the kidnapping, dismantling their support network and disrupting their sources of logistics and intelligence.
“The operations, which lasted for more than a month, focused on identifying the terrorist kingpins that masterminded the kidnapping, busting and dismantling their networks and logistics links, including their informants and hideouts located within the Old Oyo National Park Forest,” the statement said.
Military officials said several suspects were arrested in Oyo and neighbouring states, placing sustained pressure on the group and ultimately forcing it to release the captives.
“As part of the operations, multiple arrests were made within Oyo state and in other locations across some states in the country,” the army said. “These arrests completely disorganised the group, exerted overwhelming pressure on them and ultimately led the terrorist group to unconditionally release the pupils and teachers.”
The military added that the operation had been planned to ensure the safe recovery of the hostages without harm to civilians, although it acknowledged that some members of the security forces were killed or injured during the mission.
The rescued children and teachers are receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital before being reunited with their families through the Oyo state government.
President Bola Tinubu hailed the operation as a major success, saying all the abducted pupils and teachers had been rescued alive.
In a statement posted on social media, Tinubu stressed that “no ransom was paid” and “no concession was made” to secure the hostages’ freedom.
His special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said eight suspected kidnappers had been arrested and were in the custody of the DSS, while several other members of the group had been killed during the operation.
Onanuga added that the government had rejected the kidnappers’ reported demand for the release of a Boko Haram commander facing terrorism charges, describing the outcome as evidence that the authorities would not negotiate with armed groups.
Tinubu directed emergency response agencies to work with the Oyo state government to provide medical care, psychological support and other assistance to the rescued victims, while promising justice for the family of the slain teacher, Michael Oyedokun.
The rescue prompted scenes of celebration in Ogbomoso and surrounding communities, where residents gathered to welcome news of the victims’ return after nearly two months of uncertainty.
Political opponents also welcomed the outcome. The Peoples Democratic Party, the Allied Peoples Movement and the African Action Congress presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, congratulated the security agencies while urging the government to strengthen measures to prevent further mass abductions.
The kidnapping was one of the most serious attacks on schools in south-west Nigeria in recent years and underscored the growing spread of armed groups beyond the country’s traditional conflict zones in the north-east and north-west. While authorities have celebrated the rescue as an operational success, the attack has renewed concerns over the vulnerability of schools and rural communities to increasingly mobile militant and criminal networks.
