Difficult geographical terrain, deep anxieties regarding the safety of scores of abducted students and educators, and radical demands by kidnappers for the swap of detained insurgent leaders have stalled current efforts to rescue the victims of the recent school raids in Borno and Oyo states. This development emerged as the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, on Thursday pushed for the immediate and safe release of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers, describing the cross-regional incidents as a serious challenge to child protection and formal education.
Multiple sources within the Presidency and security agencies familiar with the situation confided that the abductors are insisting on the conditional release of high-profile terror figures in exchange for the hostages. This condition remains unacceptable to the Federal Government despite mounting public outrage and street protests calling for the absolute freedom of the victims.
A senior Presidency source explained that the school abductions across Oyo and Borno states were systematically coordinated and deliberately timed to exert maximum pressure on the government to strengthen the bargaining position of the terrorists. The official stated, “In the Oyo kidnapping, the terrorists did a coordinated attack with that of Borno because they want to use it as a negotiation. They are pressing for a swap with some high-profile terrorists who are in government custody. These are some of their leaders who were arrested. Why this is taking time is due to this issue. The security chiefs and the Federal Government are in a difficult position, and this is unfamiliar terrain for them, as there has not been an extensive operation in the forested area of Oyo, where the children and teachers are being held.”
The official further explained, “The terrorists actually came from the Kainji area in Niger State. They came from there to do this operation, and they have been desperately trying to press for the release of some of their high-profile colleagues who were arrested. If you remember, there was a press conference by the NSA (National Security Adviser) several months ago about the Ansaru leaders who were arrested. So, they are the ones the terrorists are pushing for their release. That is why the whole thing has been at a standstill now,”
On August 16, 2025, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, had declared the apprehension of the two top insurgent commanders during high-risk, intelligence-driven operations executed by security agencies between May and July 2025. The arrested suspects had been on both domestic and international terror watch lists. At the time, the National Security Adviser noted, “Today, I am glad to inform you that we have successfully concluded a high-risk, intelligence-led, counterterrorism operation which led to the capture of the top leadership of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan, commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate,”
Ribadu added that the arrest of the men, known as Abu Bara’a and Mallam Mahmuda, who were the group’s supreme leader and deputy commander respectively, delivered the most devastating blow to the Ansaru network since its formation. Ansaru, a breakaway faction of Boko Haram linked with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, has historically unleashed violence across the North-West and North-Central regions, including the forests of Kogi, Niger, and Kaduna states. The group sets up remote forest camps and urban sleeper cells, with extensive strongholds around the Kainji National Park, which crosses Niger and Kwara states and stretches to the Republic of Benin.
During the initial declaration, the National Security Adviser disclosed that the captured leader, Usman, who holds the title of the Emir of Ansaru, operated as the general supervisor of the network's domestic cells. He is also suspected of coordinating multiple major kidnappings and robberies to fund the operations of Ansaru over the last ten years. His deputy, al-Nigeri, whom Ribadu described as the Chief of Staff of the group, leads the specialized Mahmudawa cell operating within the thick forests of the Kainji National Park. Al-Nigeri underwent specialized training in Libya between 2013 and 2015 under international jihadist handlers from Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt, focusing heavily on weapons operation and improvised explosive device fabrication.
The NSA had previously stated, “These two men have jointly spearheaded multiple attacks on civilians, security forces and critical national infrastructure. They are currently in custody and will face due legal process,” Another source revealed that the federal authorities are stuck between the urgent need to secure the safety of the hostages and an absolute reluctance to release dangerous commanders back into society where they can regroup to unleash more terror. The source noted, “Yes, the lives of the children must be secured. But they don’t want to release these people because they will become a problem again to the larger society,” adding, “These are high-level targets who were successfully captured. So, imagine releasing them again.”
Armed syndicates invaded the Esiele community in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on Friday, May 15, carting away pupils, students, and workers from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School. Within days of the attack, the abductors brutally beheaded one of the captured teachers, Mr Michael Oyedokun. Simultaneously, suspected Boko Haram insurgents targeted three academic institutions in Borno State, including Mussa Central Primary School, Government Day Junior Secondary School, and a SUBEB school, kidnapping between 42 and 50 schoolchildren from Mussa town in the Askira-Uba Local Government Area.
Through an official statement issued on May 18 by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Bola Tinubu described the attacks and the execution as barbaric. He commiserated with Governor Seyi Makinde and gave assurances that the abductees would be freed safely. Tinubu stated, “The bandits and all their local collaborators will be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law,” while urging the National Assembly to accelerate legislative action on the creation of state police forces.
A separate source within the security community confirmed the situation, indicating that the government has been exploring diverse strategic channels to secure the freedom of the victims as public pressure grows. The official stated, “Yes, it is true. The government has been trying all manner of ways to get them released. And the uproar and protests, too, are adding pressure to the whole thing. One other thing again is that the terrorists want the outcry that is happening now to pressure the government to do their demands, to do anything to release the children,”
The high-ranking officer added that the forested geography and the volatile nature of mass hostage scenarios have complicated direct military interventions. The official noted, “You know, the area is highly forested and unfamiliar. The issue is the sensitivity of any hostage situation. It is a major problem because a successful hostage rescue where you have all the hostages alive is very difficult. You don’t want to risk the lives of the children and the teachers in the process,” A third source in the Presidency mentioned that this operational dilemma has left the administration in a state of hesitation, where it opposes ransom or swaps but fears launching an assault that could result in casualties. The source stated, “I know that the government doesn’t want to negotiate with them. It also doesn’t want to use force that may risk the lives of the people in the forest. The President must have been briefed about it, both Oyo and Borno. It is a coordinated kidnapping.”
During a strategic meeting in Abuja with a delegation from the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre led by Commandant Dr Samuel Umanah, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mohamed Malick Fall, demanded the swift release of the hostages. Commenting on the development, Fall stated, “The UN Resident Coordinator is deeply saddened that these school children and their teachers are still being held by armed groups. Schools must remain safe havens for learning and not places of fear. Children should never be a target,” He added that the recent incursions highlight the critical necessity for stricter safety frameworks to shield schools from persistent violence. He urged the government to speed up tactical actions, implement the Minimum Standards for Safe Schools, and adopt data-driven protection strategies, adding, “The UN’s collective commitment to promoting safe, inclusive and violence-free learning environments remains unwavering,”
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has assured the public that multiple security agencies are coordinating rescue efforts, describing the safe return of the abductees as a top national priority.
Speaking on behalf of the administration, the minister stated, “On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal Government of Nigeria, I wish to assure all Nigerians that the safe return of every child and every teacher currently in captivity remains a top national priority.” He noted that the President has directed the immediate deployment of a specialized rescue unit and approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to reinforce rural surveillance.
Idris explained that the administration is overhauling the national security layout, with state policing serving as a key reform anchor. Providing details on active military operations, the minister noted that troops of Operation Hadin Kai neutralized over 50 terrorists along the Kirawa to Pulka and Ngoshe axes in Borno State, while clearing out close to 1,000 insurgents in the first quarter of 2026. He also cited a joint operation supported by the United States that dismantled ISWAP logistics routes and freed 92 civilians near Buratai. He added that the judiciary is actively prosecuting terrorism suspects, including the conviction of four individuals linked to the 2022 St. Francis Catholic Church attack in Owo, while over 500 other suspects are facing trial. Addressing the affected households, Idris stated, “To the families whose loved ones remain in captivity, your pain is our pain. Your government has not forgotten you,”
In a swift reaction, dozens of civil society organizations under the coalition for the 9th National Day of Mourning condemned the federal authorities for failing to safeguard the populace. Signatories including Amnesty International Nigeria, BudgIT, SERAP, Yiaga Africa, CISLAC, SBM Intelligence, Enough Is Enough, Global Rights, Gatefield, The Kukah Centre, CAPPA, HEDA, and Media Rights Agenda, pointed to data from massatrocities.org showing that at least 19,980 individuals have been killed and 12,362 abducted since May 2023, alongside 1,486 security personnel lost in the line of duty. The groups accused politicians of prioritizing 2027 electoral permutations over national safety, warning that corpses do not vote, while noting that at least 865 students have been kidnapped from schools since 2023. The coalition stated, “Nigeria cannot continue to gather annually to mourn the dead while failing daily to protect the living,”
Standing in solidarity with the labor groups, the National Association of Nigerian Students reaffirmed its support for the advocacy of the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the Nigeria Labour Congress. The NANS President, Akinteye Babatunde, stated, “The safety of students and teachers must remain a national priority. NANS will continue to support every legitimate effort aimed at securing the release of those in captivity and preventing future occurrences,” He warned that growing academic insecurity is spreading trauma among parents and learners, adding, “We are calling on the Federal Government, security agencies and relevant authorities to act swiftly and decisively,”
Concurrently, the Peoples Redemption Party called for the immediate resignation of the President over the persistent collapse of domestic security. The PRP National Chairman, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, stated, “From Generals to toddlers; from Bama to Badagry, no Nigerian is safe under this leadership,” He added, “Our President has failed the nation, and there is no evidence that he can improve on his pathetic record,” arguing that citizens should not wait for the 2027 polls to voice dissent because “There is nothing democratic in insisting that incompetent and uncaring leadership must complete terms,” In tandem, the National Private Security Conference advocated for tech-driven solutions. The convener of the NPSC, Charles Awuzie, emphasized that security agencies should track digital footprints and expand cooperation with tech firms to dismantle criminal cells, stating, “The approach is simple: technology first,”
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