After 56 Days in Captivity, Ogbomoso Pupils, Teachers Regain Freedom as Presidency Confirms Arrest of Eight Kidnap Suspects

Pupils and teachers abducted by armed men from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, on May 15, 2026, have regained their freedom after spending 56 days in captivity, with the Presidency confirming that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested during the rescue operation.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed this on Friday in a follow-up statement on his X account, shortly after announcing that all the abducted victims had been rescued through the coordinated efforts of Nigeria’s security agencies.
According to Onanuga, the rescue operation was carried out without any concession to the kidnappers, despite their demand for the release of one of their alleged kingpins who is currently standing trial for terrorism-related offences.
He said eight members of the kidnapping gang were arrested during the operation and are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS), while several others were neutralised by security operatives.
“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,” Onanuga stated.
The victims were kidnapped when heavily armed gunmen invaded Community Grammar School, Esiele; Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; and L.A. Primary School, Esiele, abducting scores of pupils, teachers and other school workers in one of the most brazen attacks on educational institutions in Oyo State.
The abduction sparked widespread outrage across Oyo State and beyond. The prolonged captivity of the victims forced many public and private schools in Ogbomoso and neighbouring communities to suspend academic activities over fears of further attacks, while anxious parents kept their children away from school.
The incident also triggered protests by teachers, parents, students, civil society organisations and residents, who repeatedly demanded the immediate rescue of the victims and called on the Federal and Oyo State governments to strengthen security in schools and rural communities.
During the victims’ captivity, several disturbing videos emerged online showing the principal of one of the affected schools appealing emotionally to the government, security agencies and well-meaning Nigerians to save the abducted pupils and teachers. In the videos, the visibly distressed principal pleaded for urgent intervention, warning of the deteriorating conditions in which the victims were being held and expressing fears for their safety if swift action was not taken. The videos drew widespread sympathy and renewed public pressure on the authorities to intensify rescue efforts.
The successful rescue of the victims has brought relief to their families, the Ogbomoso community and the education sector after nearly two months of uncertainty and anguish.
The Presidency maintained that the Federal Government neither negotiated with nor yielded to the demands of the abductors, describing the operation as a significant breakthrough in the ongoing fight against kidnapping and violent crime.
Security agencies are expected to provide a detailed account of the rescue operation and the ongoing investigation in the coming days.

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