New details reveal that an intelligence-driven mission successfully secured the release of pupils and educators kidnapped from the Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota, and Alawusa districts in Oyo State. The breakthrough occurred after security agencies apprehended family members of the captors, a move that forced the militants to reconsider their demands.
On May 15, 2026, terrorists abducted 39 children and seven teachers. While one educator tragically died, the remaining victims were freed on July 10 during a joint operation between the military and the Department of State Services (DSS). Security sources noted that after weeks of tracking, DSS operatives detained several wives and children of the kidnappers across the country. These relatives were brought to Abuja for questioning, and reports indicate that footage of these interrogations reached the kidnappers, causing them significant alarm.
The captors shifted from a rigid stance to being more communicative, eventually offering to release the hostages in exchange for their families. Authorities refused this trade, maintaining pressure on the kidnappers while surrounding their forest base. Drawing lessons from the failed negotiations that led to the death of retired Maj. Gen. Abubakar Rabbe in Katsina, officials opted for a tactical assault rather than extending talks.
The final rescue operation was launched on a Thursday night once intelligence confirmed the victims were no longer being used as human shields. Troops neutralized many terrorists and apprehended eight others. This outcome aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s firm stance against ransom payments or negotiations with terrorist factions, including Ansaru-linked groups who had demanded the release of high-profile commanders and the implementation of specific legal demands.
