Orire Rescue: Tinubu Govt To Drag Kidnappers’ Relatives To Court

Fresh details have emerged on the intelligence and military operation that led to the rescue of 39 pupils and six teachers abducted from communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Security sources said the arrest of some relatives of the suspected kidnappers, including their wives and children, proved decisive in mounting pressure on the abductors before security forces stormed their hideout inside the Oyo National Park.

The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, from schools in the Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota and Alawusa communities and were rescued on Friday after spending weeks in captivity.

One teacher was reportedly killed by the abductors shortly after the kidnapping.

According to security sources, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) tracked and detained relatives of the kidnappers in different communities and cities across the country following weeks of intelligence gathering.

A security source told The Nation children of the Kidnappers found not to have participated in any crime would be released, while adults suspected of assisting the kidnappers would be investigated and prosecuted where sufficient evidence existed.

The assault that lead to the release of the victims was described as swift and coordinated, with security forces reportedly deploying overwhelming firepower and taking the terrorists by surprise.

In the weeks before the final operation, troops were also said to have engaged the gang in repeated gun battles aimed at weakening its fighters and reducing its supply of ammunition.

“When the final operation commenced, the resistance was significantly lower than anticipated because they had already been weakened,” another source said.

Some of the terrorists were reportedly killed during the operation, while eight suspects were arrested.

Members of the rescue force were also said to have suffered casualties, although the authorities had yet to release a comprehensive account of the losses recorded during the operation.

All the surviving pupils and teachers were rescued from the camp.

Investigations into the abduction and the activities of the suspected kidnappers are continuing.

The Oriire kidnappers had reportedly demanded ransom and the release of detained terrorist commanders as conditions for freeing the victims.

Among those whose release they allegedly sought were Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, also known as Isah Adam.

Security agencies identify the men as leaders of Ansaru, a faction linked to Boko Haram. They were reportedly arrested by the DSS last year.

Sources said the refusal to pay ransom or exchange detained suspects was consistent with the Federal Government’s policy against negotiating with terrorist groups.