Dozens of abducted schoolchildren and teachers rescued in Nigeria
After 56 days in captivity, dozens of students and teachers abducted from three schools in southwestern Nigeria's Oyo state have been rescued. President Bola Tinubu confirmed the operation's success.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu announced on Friday that security forces have rescued dozens of students and teachers who were abducted from three schools in the southwestern state of Oyo 56 days ago.
The attack occurred on May 15, when 46 individuals were kidnapped from two primary schools and one secondary school. The government has blamed the abductions on Boko Haram. The youngest hostage was two years old, and the oldest was 16. One teacher was killed shortly after the kidnapping.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga stated on X that all students and teachers had been rescued. Tinubu added that eight of the assailants have been arrested and an unspecified number killed.
School kidnappings have become common in Nigeria as armed groups demand large ransoms from the government and citizens. The crisis is exacerbated by the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast. According to SBM Intelligence, gunmen earned over $1.6 million in ransom payments in 2024.
"This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular," Tinubu said. He thanked the armed forces, intelligence agencies, and police for the safe rescue.
Previously, most school abductions occurred in northern Nigeria. The abduction in Oyo, in the southwest, has raised concerns that the security crisis may be worsening. It remains unclear exactly how the hostages were freed, but Onanuga stated there was "no quid pro quo in the rescue."
Earlier this week, Defence Minister Christopher Musa said the assailants planned to use the hostages as leverage to pressure the government to release some of their commanders from prison.
