***Arrest Members of Kidnapping Syndicate
After spending nearly two months in captivity, the 44 pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State regained their freedom on Friday following a painstaking, intelligence-led operation that systematically dismantled the kidnappers’ network and forced them to release their captives without conditions.
Rather than launching a direct assault on the terrorists’ hideouts, security forces adopted a strategy that focused on identifying the masterminds behind the abduction, tracking their movements, exposing their logistics chain and cutting off their support network.
The month-long operation, led by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General C.R. Nnebeife, involved personnel from the Office of the National Security Adviser through the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Defence Headquarters, Special Forces of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as local vigilantes, hunters and Amotekun operatives.
According to a statement issued by the Acting Deputy Director, 2 Division Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, intelligence gathered during the operation led security operatives to the kidnappers’ hideouts within the Old Oyo National Park and uncovered the identities of the kingpins who coordinated the May 15 abduction.
As the operation progressed, security operatives widened their dragnet beyond the forest, carrying out coordinated raids in Oyo State and other parts of the country.
The raids resulted in the arrest of several members of the kidnapping syndicate, including key collaborators responsible for intelligence gathering, logistics and supplies.
Military authorities said the arrests crippled the group’s operational structure, disrupted its supply lines and severed communication within the network, placing the kidnappers under intense pressure.
Unable to withstand the sustained security operations and with their network effectively dismantled, the kidnappers were compelled to unconditionally release all 44 pupils and teachers.
The military said the operation was deliberately planned to prioritise the safety of the hostages and avoid collateral damage. Although the rescue was successful, some members of the security forces sustained casualties during the operation.
The rescued victims are receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital and will be handed over to the Oyo State Government for reunification with their families.
The pupils and teachers had been abducted on May 15, 2026, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, an incident that sparked widespread concern over insecurity and renewed calls for stronger protection of schools and rural communities.
The military said follow-up operations are continuing to track down and arrest the remaining members of the kidnapping syndicate.
