IBADAN, NIGERIA — Wild celebrations erupted across the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday following the successful rescue of 39 pupils and seven teachers who spent 56 grueling days in captivity.
The victims, who were snatched by heavily armed bandits on May 15, regained their freedom following a high-powered, coordinated assault launched by a joint team of the Nigerian Military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force.
A viral video circulating on social media captured scenes of pure ecstasy as jubilant residents and passersby lined the streets to welcome the victims, loudly cheering and praising the efforts of the armed forces. Among those safely rescued is the school principal, Mrs. Alamu Folawe, alongside 39 of her pupils and six other teaching colleagues.
The breakthrough was officially confirmed on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, have been rescued by our security agencies,” Onanuga announced.
The presidential aide further disclosed that the rescue team neutralized several bandits during the fierce gun battle, while eight suspected members of the kidnapping syndicate were captured alive and are currently undergoing profiling in DSS custody.
Crucially, the federal government maintained an uncompromising zero-concession stance. Onanuga emphasized that the victims were liberated without any form of negotiation or ransom payment. The abductors had aggressively demanded the release of one of their detained kingpins as a swap condition, but the government firmly rejected the blackmail; the unnamed gang leader remains in custody and is actively facing prosecution.
President Bola Tinubu described the development as a major relief for the victims, their families, and the entire nation, heavily praising the joint security architecture for their tireless tactical execution.
However, the President expressed deep regret over the severe psychological trauma endured by the young children and their instructors. He also explicitly pledged that the federal government would ensure absolute justice for the family of Michael Olugbade Oyedokun, the dedicated mathematics teacher who was brutally killed during the crisis. Another teacher, 49-year-old Esiyan Adegboye, was also killed during the initial raid.
Reacting to the successful extraction, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde could barely hide his emotion.
“It is such a big relief for all of us. Right now, I am overjoyed and can hardly say much,” a visibly elated Makinde stated.
Corroborating the state’s stance, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, issued a follow-up statement reiterating that Governor Makinde’s administration remained resolutely aligned with the policy of rejecting ransom payments throughout the 56-day standoff, proving that tactical pressure remains the most effective deterrent.
The harrowing security breach began on May 15, when bandits simultaneously stormed three schools: Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School across the Yawota and Ahoro-Esiele axis of Oriire Local Government Area, triggering a nationwide outcry over rural school safety.
While the freed pupils and teachers undergo urgent medical evaluations and trauma counseling, security forces have reportedly sustained clearing operations within the forest fringes to dismantle the remnants of the criminal network.
