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By Ayo Kehinde
Pupils and teachers abducted during a deadly raid on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained freedom after spending nearly two months in captivity, ending weeks of anxiety for their families and communities.
The development was announced by the Presidency on Friday through the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who revealed the release in a post on his verified X account.
“Finally, the abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo, have been freed from their captors,” Onanuga wrote.
The presidential aide, however, did not reveal the circumstances of the victims’ release, including whether it occurred following negotiations, a security operation or the payment of a ransom.
At the time of writing, the Oyo State government and security agencies involved in the rescue had yet to release official statements confirming the development or providing details on the operation that secured the victims’ freedom.
The victims were abducted on May 15, after heavily armed men stormed three schools in Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area in one of the deadliest attacks on educational institutions in Oyo State in recent years.
The attackers invaded Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School and LA Primary School during school hours, abducting dozens of pupils along with several teachers.
The attack also claimed the lives of at least two people. Among the victims was a teacher who was reportedly beheaded by attackers, a gruesome killing that has sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns about school safety in Nigeria.
In the aftermath of the attack, security agencies launched a coordinated manhunt for the kidnappers, while the Oyo State government pledged to work with federal security authorities to ensure the safe return of the captives. The incident has also reignited calls for greater security around schools, particularly in rural communities increasingly targeted by armed criminal groups.
Although the Presidency confirmed that all abducted pupils and teachers have regained their freedom, questions remain as to how their release was achieved, and the authorities have not yet provided a detailed account of the operation.
For the victims’ families and residents of the affected communities, Friday’s announcement marked the end of an agonizing wait that lasted nearly eight weeks.
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