Nigerian Army Opens Up on What DSS, Police, Navy, Others Did To Rescue Abducted Oyo Staff, Students
- Nigerian Army troops and multiple security agencies rescued 44 pupils and teachers kidnapped from Oriire LGA, Oyo State, on July 10,
- The victims were abducted by terrorists on May 15, 2026, and held for nearly two months in the Old Oyo National Park Forest
- The month-long operation targeted terrorist kingpins, dismantling their networks, logistics links, informants, and hideouts
Forty-four pupils and teachers abducted from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo state have been freed following a large-scale security operation that stretched across the Old Oyo National Park and several other parts of the country.
The Nigerian Army announced the rescue on Thursday, July 10, nearly two months after the victims were taken by terrorists on May 15, 2026.
Source: Twitter
Major General CR Nnebeife, the General Officer Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, led the joint operation, which brought together an unusually wide coalition of security forces.
These included special units from the Office of the National Security Adviser, specifically the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Special Forces elements drawn from the Army, Navy and Air Force, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, the National Intelligence Agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, as well as local vigilantes, hunters and Amotekun operatives.
Operation targets terrorist networks
The operation, which ran for over a month, was driven by intelligence gathered on the identities and movements of those behind the abduction.
Security forces focused not only on locating the hostages but also on exposing and dismantling the broader criminal infrastructure that supported the kidnappers, including their informants, supply chains and forest hideouts within the Old Oyo National Park.
The Army described the mission as a carefully planned and executed intelligence-led operation, with emphasis placed on identifying the kingpins responsible for organising the kidnapping before moving in.
The successful rescue of all 44 victims marks a significant outcome for the multi-agency framework deployed, with forces drawn from virtually every major security institution in the country working in coordination over an extended period.
Oyo school abduction: Tinubu reacts to freed victims
Previously, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu has expressed relief over the rescue of all schoolchildren and teachers abducted from the Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo state, praising the security agencies responsible for ending the 56-day ordeal.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announced the development on Friday, July 10, 2026, via his official X account, confirming that every abducted pupil and teacher had been freed. The statement was sighted by Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
