IBADAN, Nigeria — The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has provided a comprehensive breakdown detailing the inter-agency intelligence operations that led to the successful rescue of the kidnapped students and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
According to an official statement released by Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, the Acting Deputy Director of 2 Division Army Public Relations, the liberation of the victims was the direct culmination of highly coordinated, intelligence-driven, and meticulously executed tactical operations. The multi-faceted rescue mission reached its peak on July 10, 2026, under the command of Major General CR Nnebeife, the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army based in Ibadan.
The extensive operation drew upon specialized tactical units from the Office of the National Security Adviser, specifically the National Counter Terrorism Center, alongside the Defence Headquarters and elite Special Forces elements from the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force. This military core worked in close synergy with civil law enforcement and intelligence bodies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Local security structures, including community vigilantes, traditional hunters, and the Western Nigeria Security Network, popularly known as Amotekun, also played critical roles on the ground.
A total of 44 individuals, comprising school pupils and institutional teachers who were violently abducted by terrorists from the Oriire local government area on May 15, 2026, were safely recovered through these combined efforts. The military command revealed that the specialized operations extended over a month, focusing heavily on identifying the specific terrorist kingpins orchestrating the abductions. Frontline forces focused on dismantling the syndicate's operational networks, cutting off their logistical supply lines, and capturing their local informants, while targeting active hideouts located within the dense terrain of the Old Oyo National Park Forest.
As the pressure from the security forces intensified, numerous strategic arrests were executed both within Oyo State and across several other states. This nationwide crackdown severely fractured the criminal group’s communication and support networks, exerting immense operational pressure that ultimately forced the terrorist organization to release the pupils and teachers unconditionally.
Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma emphasized that the entire campaign was planned with extreme precision to avoid collateral damage and guarantee the safety of the children and educators. However, the command acknowledged that the security forces sustained some casualties during the high-stakes friction. The rescued victims are currently receiving comprehensive medical evaluations and treatment at an undisclosed medical facility, after which they will be formally handed over to the Oyo State Government to be reunited with their families.
