ABUJA: The Presidency has confirmed the successful rescue of the schoolchildren, teachers and principal who were abducted during a recent attack on a school in Oyo State, bringing an end to days of anxiety for their families and the nation.
The victims were freed during a coordinated security operation that also led to the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers, according to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Announcing the development on Friday through his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Onanuga shared photographs showing the rescued pupils, teachers and the school principal after the operation.
He described the rescue as a major success for Nigeria’s security agencies, noting that the operation was carefully executed to ensure the safe recovery of all the victims.
According to him, several members of the kidnapping gang were also neutralised during the operation.
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,” Onanuga stated.
The presidential spokesman emphasized that the government did not negotiate with or concede to the kidnappers’ demands to secure the victims’ freedom.
He disclosed that the abductors had demanded the release of one of their leaders, described as a notorious kingpin currently facing prosecution for various criminal offences.
However, the Federal Government rejected the demand and proceeded with the rescue operation.
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,” Onanuga said.
The development underscores the government’s policy of refusing to exchange detained criminal suspects for kidnap victims.
Following the operation, the eight arrested suspects were handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) for further investigation and prosecution.
Security agencies are expected to provide additional details regarding the planning and execution of the rescue mission, as well as the identities of those arrested.
The successful rescue has brought immense relief to the affected families, the school community and residents who had expressed deep concern over the abduction.
School kidnappings have remained one of Nigeria’s major security challenges in recent years, prompting renewed calls for stronger protection of educational institutions and tougher action against criminal gangs targeting schools.
The rescue operation is expected to boost public confidence in ongoing efforts by security agencies to combat kidnapping and violent crime across the country.
Onanuga disclosed that the relevant security agencies would soon provide a comprehensive account of how the rescue operation was carried out. The security agencies will give a full account soon, he said.
The successful operation represents another significant breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping and demonstrates the continued efforts of security operatives to ensure the safe return of abducted victims while bringing perpetrators to justice.
