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Nine kidnappers neutralised
A joint security team comprising personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force, supported by intelligence provided by the Department of State Services (DSS), has rescued all the schoolchildren and teachers abducted by armed bandits in Oyo State on May 15, 2026.
Security sources confirmed that nine of the kidnappers were neutralised during the operation, which brought to an end the victims’ nearly two-month captivity.
According to the sources, the operation was carried out in the early hours of Friday after actionable intelligence led security operatives to the kidnappers’ hideout.
The rescued victims, comprising pupils and their teachers, are being taken to Ibadan, where they are expected to meet Governor Seyi Makinde.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15 when armed bandits, reportedly linked to a faction of the Boko Haram insurgent group, launched coordinated attacks on three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esiele communities of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
A total of 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted during the attacks, triggering widespread concern and prompting intensified rescue efforts by security agencies.
The incident took a tragic turn when one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, a Mathematics teacher at Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, was reportedly beheaded by the kidnappers while in captivity.
The abduction sparked public outrage across Oyo State and renewed concerns over the growing threat of kidnapping and attacks on educational institutions. It also prompted sustained security operations aimed at securing the safe release of the victims and dismantling the criminal network responsible for the attack.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the rescue operation, while details of the condition of the rescued pupils and teachers were still being awaited.
