The pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been released, nearly two months after gunmen stormed their classrooms.
The news was confirmed Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, who shared the update on his verified X account: “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies.”
According to Onanuga, security operatives arrested eight members of the kidnapping gang during the rescue operation; the suspects are now in the custody of the Department of State Services. Other gang members were reportedly killed in the operation. Onanuga stressed that no concessions were made to secure the victims’ freedom, noting that a gang leader whose release the kidnappers had demanded remains in custody and is being prosecuted. He added that authorities would release a fuller account of the operation soon.
How the ordeal began
Armed men on motorcycles attacked three schools — Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School — in the Esiele and Yawota communities on May 15, 2026, abducting dozens of pupils and teachers, including a school principal. Two teachers died during the crisis: Joel Adesiyan was killed trying to escape during the initial attack, and Michael Oyedokun was later beheaded while in captivity.
The kidnappers had reportedly demanded the release of jailed terrorist commanders, a cash ransom, two Hilux vehicles, and the imposition of Sharia-related law in exchange for the captives — demands the Oyo State government repeatedly said it would not meet.
Aftermath
The attack triggered a month-long strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, who suspended the action in July as pressure mounted for the victims’ rescue. It also drew a sustained federal response, with military and police officials repeatedly assuring the public that rescue operations were underway.
Following the release, President Tinubu directed emergency response agencies to work with the Oyo State Government to ensure the freed pupils and teachers receive medical care and other support as they recover. In a video shared after the release, one of the rescued teachers, Rachael Alamu, principal of Community Grammar School, thanked the President and security agencies for their efforts to bring them home safely.
