Kidnapped Oyo Pupils, Teachers Regain Freedom After Weeks in Captivity
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Kidnapped Oyo Pupils, Teachers Regain Freedom After Weeks in Captivity
The pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State have been rescued after spending several weeks in captivity.
The development was announced on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In a post on his verified X account, Onanuga confirmed the release of the victims. “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
However, authorities have yet to provide details on the circumstances surrounding the rescue or indicate whether any ransom was paid to secure the victims’ release.
The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools—Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School—in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Orire Local Government Area.
During the coordinated attacks, no fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a school principal, were taken away by the gunmen.
The incident turned tragic as one teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed while trying to escape the attackers. Another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later beheaded while in the kidnappers’ custody.
Before the victims’ release, the abductors reportedly presented a four-point demand, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, the provision of two Hilux vehicles, and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
Despite the demands, the Oyo State Government maintained throughout the ordeal that it would not pay ransom for the release of the captives.
The abduction sparked widespread concern across the state, prompting the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to embark on a month-long strike to demand the safe return of the victims before calling off the industrial action in July.
The incident also attracted the attention of the Federal Government, with security agencies, including the military and the police, repeatedly assuring Nigerians that efforts to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers were ongoing.
