The pupils and teachers abducted from a school in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after spending weeks in captivity, following a security operation that led to the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers and the killing of several others.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the development in a series of posts on his verified X account on Friday, describing the operation as a major success for Nigeria’s security agencies.
According to Onanuga, eight members of the kidnapping syndicate were arrested during the operation and are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while other members of the gang were neutralised.
He also clarified that the victims were rescued through sustained security operations and not through negotiations or the payment of ransom.
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue,” Onanuga stated, adding that one of the gang’s kingpins, whose release the abductors reportedly demanded as a condition for freeing the victims, remains in custody and is currently being prosecuted for alleged criminal offences.
The victims were kidnapped during an attack on their school in May, an incident that sparked nationwide concern and renewed debates over the safety of schools, particularly in rural communities.
Their abduction drew repeated appeals from parents, education stakeholders and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), which earlier this week urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure their release.
The successful rescue ends weeks of uncertainty for the affected families and marks one of the most significant breakthroughs in the country’s recent efforts to combat school-related kidnappings.
While confirming the operation’s success, Onanuga said security agencies would, in due course, provide a comprehensive account of how the rescue was carried out, including details of the arrests and the ongoing investigation into the kidnapping network.
The identities and medical condition of the rescued pupils and teachers had not been officially disclosed as of the time of filing this report.
