Authorities recover kidnapped individuals from three schools in Oyo state amid ongoing security challenges linked to armed groups demanding ransoms.
Published On 10 Jul 2026
Nigerian security forces have successfully rescued more than 40 students and teachers who were abducted from three schools in the southwestern state of Oyo in May, according to an official statement from the presidency.
President Bola Tinubu praised the “successful military operation” in a Friday address, confirming that eight perpetrators were arrested and an unspecified number were neutralized during the 56-day rescue effort. The victims ranged from two to 16 years old, with one teacher fatally attacked shortly after the kidnappings.
The abductions, which occurred on May 15, targeted two primary schools and one secondary school. While the government attributes the incident to Boko Haram, similar attacks have increasingly targeted educational institutions across Nigeria, driven by armed groups seeking ransom payments. A 2024 report by SBM Intelligence noted such groups collected over $1.6 million in ransom that year alone.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announced on social media that all hostages were recovered without any negotiated exchange. The prolonged crisis highlights growing security concerns in southern Nigeria, traditionally less affected by Boko Haram’s insurgency in the northeast, raising fears of expanding regional instability.
Defence Minister Christopher Musa previously stated the kidnappers intended to leverage the hostages to secure the release of imprisoned commanders, though details of the rescue operation remain unclear.