Oyo Rescue: FG Releases Footage of Frontline Operations

Oyo Rescue: FG Releases Footage of Frontline Operations

  • The federal government has released footage of a successful rescue operation in Oyo state after a nearly two-month ordeal
  • Also, critics have questioned the government's response speed and adequacy, citing disparity in handling northern kidnappings
  • Public reacts to released footage, highlighting concerns over proactive measures against banditry and security effectiveness

The Federal Government has released footage of the joint operation that led to the release of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo state on Friday, July 10.

Recall that the presidency had earlier stated that security agencies had successfully rescued everyone taken captive. The rescue closes a nearly two-month ordeal that began on May 15, 2026, when armed men launched a simultaneous assault on Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota and two other schools in Esiele, within the Ahoro Esinele community in Oriire LGA.

The federal government has released a footage of the operation that led to the rescue of the Oriire pupils and teachers from terrorists in Oyo forest.
Federal Government releases footage Oyo rescue operation Photo Credit: @officialABAT
Source: Twitter

Police described the assault as a coordinated attack. The victims included 39 students and some teachers, with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Oyo state putting the total at 46 persons, most of them children aged between two and 16 years.

Read also

Adeboye recounts earlier God's promise on release of Oyo Pupils, Teachers

Nigerians react as FG releases footage of Oyo operation

However, following the rescue operation of the pupils on Friday, the federal government released the footage of the pupils on Sunday, July 11. The footage has started generating reactions from Nigerians. Below are some of their comments:

Oluwat'Obi-dient Ifeanyi criticised the government:

"It took 60 days to assemble the team, I guess. The moment every Nigerian military and paramilitary unit started wearing Special Forces (SF), I knew there was a problem. SEAL Team 8 would have done better work, even showing us how they operated in 6 days."

Adewale took a swipe against those criticising the government over the release of the video:

"Children of HATES and bastards were asking silly questions that there were no shootings (meaning it's a drama), forgetting that the video has been edited and forgetting that it takes a brave cameraman to record such high-risk scenes. Their generation forbids good news."
Nigerians have started reacting to the footage released by the federal government on the rescued operation of the kidnapped Oyo children and teachers.
Nigerians react as FG releases footage of the rescued of Oyo kidnapped pupils and teachers Photo Credit: @officialABAT
Source: Twitter

Nightmare questioned why the government is not replicating the same energy in the northern part of the country:

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"So the government really has the power to do all this, but they leave the northerners to be kidnapped and killed like goats with any actions hmmmmm I swear to God this government is evil, is it that the northerners are not part of Nigeria or what?"

Fresh pumpkin posited that the government should act before bandits strike:

"What I don't understand is why they only act once a person is kidnapped. So now they will wait again for another person to be kidnapped to act. For them to be able to track the location, it therefore means all these bandit videos from TikTok live, propaganda videos of bandits, bandits displaying money. They could actually track, but they don't; they only track after kidnapping has happened. Why must you have to wait to act like this? Just look at the weapons they have, yet they refuse to use it and track and kill these bandits. They are well-dressed, organised, equipped, and tactical men. Why are this people not always use them to track and kill these bandits?"

See the footage on X here:

Adeboye comments on rescue of Oyo pupils

Legit.ng earlier reported that the RCCG has described the rescue of abducted Oriire schoolchildren as divine fulfilment after weeks of fasting and prayer.

Read also

“Please leave them alone”: Femi Branch makes emotional appeal after Oyo schoolchildren's rescue

Pastor Enoch Adeboye revealed that God told him the release of the pupils would be dramatic, though no timeline or details were given.

Security agencies rescued 39 pupils and 7 teachers on Friday after 57 days in captivity, with the presidency confirming no concessions were made to the kidnappers.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Bada Yusuf avatar

Bada Yusuf (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Yusuf Amoo Bada is an accomplished writer with over 5 years of experience in journalism and writing, he is also politics and current affairs editor with Legit.ng. He holds B.A in Literature from OAU, and Diploma in Mass Comm. He has obtained certificates in Google's Advance Digital Reporting, News Lab workshop. He previously worked as an Editor with OperaNews. Best Editor of the Year for Politics and Current Affairs Desk (2023) by Legit.ng. Contact: bada.yusuf.amoo@corp.legit.ng