President Bola Tinubu on Friday said no ransom was paid and no concession was made to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by suspected Ansaru terrorists in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The President made the declaration in a post on his verified X handle after security agencies rescued the victims following more than 50 days in captivity.
“Tonight, our nation has reason to give thanks.
“The children and teachers abducted by Ansaru terrorists in Oyo State have been rescued by our security forces, alive and unharmed. No ransom was paid. No concession was made,” Tinubu wrote.
The abduction took place on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked schools in Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota, and Alawusa communities, seizing approximately 39 pupils and seven teachers.
One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed while in captivity.
The terrorists, linked to the Ansaru faction, initially demanded the release of two high-profile detained Ansaru commanders — Mahmud Muhammad Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar) and his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri (Abubakar Abba or Isah Adam) — who were arrested by the DSS.
While the federal government rejected the demand, a viral video from one of the teachers while in captivity confirmed it.
Meanwhile, the President commended the military, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force for the operation, describing it as a testament to the courage and professionalism of the security agencies.
“I salute every officer and operative whose courage, discipline, and professionalism made this possible,” he said.
Tinubu also warned terrorists that his administration would continue to pursue them and protect Nigerians from insecurity.
“To those who seek to spread fear through terror, know that the Nigerian state will pursue you relentlessly. We will protect our people, defend our communities, and never relent until peace and security prevail across our country.”
The President’s statement followed Friday’s announcement by the Presidency that security forces had rescued the pupils and teachers abducted on May 15 from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
In a separate statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the military, the DSS and the Nigeria Police Force rescued the victims after a coordinated military, police and intelligence-led operation.
He said the operation led to the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers, while several others were neutralised.
The President also praised the Oyo State Government for its cooperation during the rescue efforts and directed relevant emergency agencies to work with the state government to provide medical care and other support for the rescued victims.
He also pledged justice for the victims and the family of Michael Oyedokun, the mathematics teacher who was killed while in captivity.
“My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered,” he stated.
The rescue ended 56 days of captivity and brought to a close one of the country’s most prolonged school abduction incidents in recent months.
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