Breaking: Bandits Who Abducted Oriire Students Threaten to Kill Children, Give Condition
- Defence Minister Christopher Musa stated that terrorists threatened to kill abducted Oyo schoolchildren if force is used
- Thirty-nine pupils and seven teachers were abducted in Oriire LGA in the southwest state, with one teacher tragically killed in captivity
- Nigeria's ongoing battle against armed groups included a worrying rise in school abductions and ransom kidnappings
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering security matters and counterinsurgency in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Christopher Musa, minister of defence, has disclosed that the terrorists who abducted schoolchildren and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo state threatened to kill their captives if Nigerian security forces used maximum force to rescue them.
Musa made the disclosure in a video interview with News Central TV, a preview of which was released on Wednesday, July 9.
Source: Twitter
Legit.ng recalls that on Friday, May 15, gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire LGA and abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers, including the principal of one of the affected schools.
Days later, the terrorists brutally killed Michael Oyedokun, one of the kidnapped teachers, while he was in captivity.
The abduction ignited widespread outrage on social media and triggered protests demanding the victims' release.
Musa shares terrorists' chilling threat
Speaking on the abduction, Musa explained that the situation required caution.
He said:
"Unfortunately, bad things do happen. 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 can make us release their commanders.
"And now, we are threatened. When we wanted to take action against them, that if we come any closer, they are going to kill all the kids."
Furthermore, the minister assured that operations are ongoing to rescue the abducted schoolchildren and teachers.
He added that the country's security agents remain actively engaged in various operations across Oyo state’s volatile zones to address security challenges.
Watch General Musa's interview on the terrorists' threats on X below:
Legit.ng reports that kidnapping for ransom, especially of students, has become a common tactic for both armed groups and non-ideological “bandit” gangs operating across the country’s conflict-hit north and centre.
While the 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls from the town of Chibok by members of Boko Haram remains Nigeria’s most infamous, school abductions continue to be prevalent across the country.
Source: Twitter
Nigeria has been battling an armed uprising since 2009, concentrated in the northeast.
While violence has waned since the peak of the conflict a decade ago, analysts have warned of an uptick in attacks since 2025.
Read more on insecurity in Nigeria
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- The Country of Particular Concern 'trap': What the US Senate got wrong about Nigeria’s crisis
- List of killed Imams and mosques attacked by bandits that led to significant loss of lives
Tinubu speaks on solution to insecurity in Nigeria
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that amid insecurity in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu said interfaith dialogue is the only path to addressing the country's challenges.
According to a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu made this statement while receiving in audience Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the secretary for relations with States and International Organisations of the Holy See, at his residence in Abuja.
The president reaffirmed his administration's commitment to prioritising interfaith dialogue and promoting peace, harmony, and tolerance among Nigeria’s diverse religious communities.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
