Security Forces Close In as Rescue Mission Intensifies for Abducted Oyo Schoolchildren

(Nigerian security forces. Photo by Vanguard News)

Nigerian security forces have intensified efforts to rescue 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers @bd*cted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, with troops reportedly surrounding the k!dn@ppers’ hideout and blocking major escape routes.

The victims were k!dn@pped on May 15, 2026, when armed gunmen att@cked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Community Grammar School, and L.A.

Primary School in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esinele communities, @bd*cting dozens of pupils some as young as two years old alongside their teachers.

At least two people were k!ll3d during and after the att@ck, including a teacher who reportedly died while in captivity, triggering widespread outrage across Oyo State and beyond.

Security sources say the hostages are being held in a section of the Old Oyo National Park, where military and other security operatives have launched a sustained operation to secure their release.

The k!dn@ppers initially demanded the release of detained Ansaru commanders but have since reportedly shifted their focus primarily to ransom negotiations.

A significant development in the case is the reported identification of the gang leader as an indigene of Oriire LGA who allegedly became radicalised and joined Ansaru, an extremist group linked to al-Qaeda. The revelation has raised concerns over possible local collaboration and insider knowledge that may have aided the operation.

Governor Seyi Makinde and federal authorities have reiterated their commitment to securing the victims’ freedom while maintaining pressure on the @bdctors.

The incident has renewed fears about the growing threat of mass school @bdctions and the spread of insurgent-linked criminal networks into southwestern Nigeria, as families of the victims continue to await positive news while security operations enter a critical phase.