Fresh details have emerged on the painstaking security operation that led to the freedom of 44 schoolchildren and seven teachers abducted in Oyo State, revealing how intelligence gathering, surveillance and coordinated pressure on the kidnappers ultimately secured their release after 56 days in captivity.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State and regained freedom following a joint operation involving the military, intelligence agencies and local security networks.
According to sources, security operatives initially avoided a direct assault after locating the captives, fearing that a forceful rescue could endanger the lives of the children and teachers. Instead, they reportedly monitored communications linked to the abductors, a move that exposed key members of the kidnapping network and their associates.
Investigations revealed that operatives extended the operation to the kidnappers’ home states, where relatives of the suspects were subjected to sustained security pressure. The strategy reportedly unsettled the abductors, who feared repercussions for their families and eventually became vulnerable to security tactics.
Sources also disclosed that the kidnappers had planned to move the captives to Kainji in Niger State, but the 16-hour curfew imposed by Governor Seyi Makinde across 10 local government areas on June 24 reportedly disrupted the escape plan and tightened the net around the criminals.
Although the mission ended with the victims regaining freedom, reports indicate that one captive may have died during the ordeal, while a military officer involved in the operation was also killed.
In a statement, the Nigerian Army said the operation was driven by intelligence coordinated by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Major General C.R. Nnebeife, alongside the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Defence Headquarters, the Armed Forces, Police, DSS, NIA, NSCDC, Amotekun, local hunters and vigilante groups.
The Army said several arrests were made in Oyo and other states, disrupting the terrorists’ logistics network, informants and hideouts within the Old Oyo National Park forest.
According to the military, sustained pressure on the criminal network forced the abductors to release the victims unconditionally.
The rescued pupils and teachers are currently receiving medical attention before being reunited with their families.
The development has drawn reactions from across the country.
Peter Obi described the rescue as a relief but stressed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture to prevent future abductions.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar welcomed the rescue but urged President Bola Tinubu to focus more on national security, arguing that protecting lives should take precedence over political activities.
Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, praised the collaborative security framework adopted in Oyo State, saying the success of the operation demonstrated the importance of synergy among security agencies and local security groups.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, described the rescue as a source of renewed hope in the fight against insecurity and called for similar urgency in securing the release of other kidnapped victims across the country, including abducted schoolchildren in Borno State.
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has demanded full disclosure of the circumstances surrounding the victims’ release, insisting that Nigerians deserve to know whether the freedom of the captives resulted from a rescue operation, negotiations, or a combination of both.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu also hailed the operation, describing it as evidence of the Federal Government’s determination to confront insecurity and protect citizens.
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