UPDATED: Eight Kidnappers Arrested, Others Killed During Rescue Of Oyo Pupils, Teachers

The presidency has confirmed that eight kidnappers were arrested, while others were neutralised during the rescue of all the teachers and pupils abducted in Ogbomoso, Oyo state.

NEWSNGR reports that the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced in a post via his 𝕏 handle on Friday.

Onanuga said the arrested kidnappers are currently in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS).

According to the presidential spokesman, the security agencies will give full details of the account.

The post read, “Updated: in the course of the rescue operation, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody, while some of them were neutralised. There was no quid pro quo in the rescue as one of the terrorists, a kingpin, that the kidnappers demanded his release, is being prosecuted for his atrocities. The security agencies will give full account soon.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, recently revealed that terrorists responsible for the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State threatened to kill the captives if security forces attempted to rescue them.

The Minister made the disclosure in a preview of an interview with News Central.

According to him, the bandits are using the victims as leverage to try to secure the release of some of their commanders who are in the custody of security forces.

He said: “For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander.