Relief and celebration swept across Oyo State on Friday following the release of the 44 pupils and teachers abducted during coordinated attacks on schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15.
Families, residents and well-wishers welcomed the development, describing it as a long-awaited answer after 56 days of uncertainty and anguish.
The Nigerian Army announced that the victims were released unconditionally by their captors following a coordinated security operation involving multiple security agencies.
In a statement, the Army said the rescue mission was led by the General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General C.R. Nnebeife, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Defence Headquarters, Special Forces of the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security agencies.
According to the Army, the operation, which lasted more than one month, targeted the suspected kingpins behind the abduction, dismantled their logistics networks and hideouts within the Old Oyo National Park Forest, and led to the arrest of several suspects in Oyo State and other parts of the country.
The military said the sustained pressure mounted on the kidnappers disrupted their operations and forced them to release the victims without any conditions.
“The arrests completely disorganized the group, exerted overwhelming pressure on them and ultimately led the terrorist group to unconditionally release the pupils and teachers,” the statement said.
The Army added that the operation was carefully executed to ensure the safe rescue of the victims while minimising collateral damage, although some security personnel sustained casualties during the mission.
The rescued pupils and teachers are currently receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital and will later be handed over to the Oyo State Government for reunification with their families.
Despite the widespread joy, the celebrations have been tempered by grief in the family of teacher Michael Oyedokun, who was abducted alongside his colleagues but was killed while in captivity.
Reacting to the rescue, Oyedokun’s niece, Oluwabukolami, said her family was happy for those who returned but heartbroken that their loved one would never come home.
“They are finally home. My heart rejoices with every family that has been reunited with their loved ones after weeks of pain, fear and uncertainty. Welcome home,” she wrote on Instagram.
“But as others celebrate, my family mourns. My uncle, Mr Michael Olugbade Oyedokun, will never come home. He was taken from us, and his life was brutally cut short. Our joy is incomplete because one chair at our table will remain empty forever.
“Today, we celebrate those who returned while remembering the one who never did. Rest in peace, Uncle Michael. You will never be forgotten.”
The return of the victims has been widely welcomed as a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping in the state, even as many Nigerians continue to call for stronger security measures to prevent future attacks on schools.
