Name, Photos, Rank of Soldiers, Generals Who Rescued 46 Oyo Students and Teachers After 56 Days
- Maj. Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife of the Nigerian Army's 2 Division led the month-long intelligence-driven operation that freed 39 pupils and 7 teachers in Oyo State
- The multi-agency rescue involved elite units from the Navy, Air Force, DSS, Police IRT, and other security bodies, with casualties recorded among personnel
- Security operatives arrested eight suspected kidnappers and dismantled the network's logistics routes near Old Oyo National Park without paying ransom
The rescue of 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of OyosState was the product of a month-long, intelligence-led operation involving nearly every arm of Nigeria's security architecture, the Nigerian Army has disclosed.
News of the successful rescue, which came 56 days after gunmen seized the victims from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities, triggered spontaneous celebrations across the Ogbomoso area, with travellers and passers-by breaking into jubilation as word spread.
Source: Twitter
The officer who led the operation
At the centre of the mission was Maj. Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife, the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, who supervised the intelligence-led effort from start to finish.
Nnebeife assumed command of the 2 Division on August 19, 2025, at Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment in Ibadan, succeeding Maj. Gen. Obinna Onubogu.
At the time of his appointment, he pledged to prioritise troop welfare and operational effectiveness. He also serves as Force Commander of Operation FANSAN YAMA Sector 3 and previously led troops to rescue two kidnapped victims in Babasango Forest, Kwara State.
A multi-agency force behind the mission
The operation was far from a unilateral Army effort. Elite units contributed by the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service, the Defence Headquarters Special Operations Forces, Nigerian Army Special Operations Forces snipers, Office of the National Security Adviser special units, the Police Intelligence Response Team, and the Department of State Services' Special Tactical and Anti-Terrorism Team all participated. Nigerian Air Force assets provided intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support throughout, while the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and vigilantes also formed part of the broader security net, Punch reported.
Troops concentrated their activities around the Old Oyo National Park, where the kidnappers had established logistics routes, camps, and informant networks. Eight suspected kidnappers were arrested across Oyo and other states, and the Army confirmed that sustained pressure, including the killing of some suspects, ultimately forced the abductors to release the victims. Crucially, the Federal Government did not accede to the kidnappers' reported demand for the release of a Boko Haram suspect standing trial for terrorism offences.
The Army confirmed casualties among security personnel during the operation but withheld the number of those affected and the agencies involved, Vanguard reported.
The rescued victims were taken to an undisclosed medical facility before being handed over to the Oyo State Government for reunification with their families. President Bola Tinubu commended the security agencies following the rescue, stating the release was achieved without the payment of any ransom.
Oyo: How we rescued abducted victims
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: Legit.ng
