Nigeria’s military says it has rescued all 44 pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in Oyo State two months ago, following a major security operation that also led to the arrest of several suspected kidnappers.
Army spokesman Danjuma Jonah Danjuma announced on Friday that the hostages had been freed after a month-long operation involving the military, police, intelligence agencies and local vigilante groups. He said the victims are receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital before being reunited with their families.
The military also confirmed that several soldiers were killed during the rescue mission, although it did not provide further details.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15 when armed men raided three schools in the Osiire district of Oyo State: Baptist Nursery and Primary School, LA Primary School, and Community Grammar School.
Authorities have not disclosed the ages of those rescued, but the schools serve children ranging from nursery to secondary level.
The military said security forces tracked down the kidnappers, dismantled their support network, and targeted hideouts and informants operating in the forests of Old Oyo National Park, an area that has increasingly been used by criminal gangs and extremist groups.
Several suspects have been arrested, while additional operations are underway to capture those still at large.
Families of the victims expressed relief after weeks of uncertainty.
“It was a harrowing experience, but we thank God that it ended well,” said Prof. Wole Alamu, whose wife, Rachael Folawe Alamu, is the headteacher of Community Grammar School. He said the family had endured immense emotional distress after kidnappers released videos showing the captives.
“We are happy that they are out and we are grateful to everybody who contributed to their release,” he added.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers in Oyo State also welcomed the rescue but called for stronger protection for schools.
Union chairman Hassan Ajibola urged the government to fully implement the Safe School Initiative, launched after the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, saying measures such as permanent security deployments, surveillance cameras, perimeter fencing, regular patrols and support from local security groups are essential to prevent future attacks.
Repeated mass kidnappings have kept insecurity at the forefront of national concerns ahead of Nigeria’s general election next year. Lawmakers and civil society groups have also questioned how funds allocated under the Safe School Initiative have been spent.
The Oyo abduction drew nationwide attention because such large-scale school kidnappings have historically been concentrated in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north, whereas Oyo lies in the country’s largely Christian southwest. The incident renewed concerns that kidnapping gangs are expanding their operations into new regions despite ongoing government security efforts.