The continuous military operations inside the Oyo National Park have raised strong indications that the 39 abducted school children and seven teachers from the Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota, and Alawusa communities in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State may soon regain their freedom. Security forces have successfully blocked all potential escape routes from the forest reserve where the victims are being held. The hostages were initially taken on May 15, 2026, when heavily armed terrorists invaded three local schools, abducting a total of 46 individuals. Multiple security sources confirmed that troops and allied tactical teams have completely surrounded the specific criminal hideout within the national park terrain.
According to operational briefs, theç¼– insurgents have been effectively contained within the forest enclave, severely restricting their mobility with the captive students and staff. Following the intensive pressure and the increasing likelihood of their capture, the terrorists have reportedly turned to desperate measures, which included the recent brutal killing of a school teacher in an attempt to blackmail state authorities into halting the offensive. The kidnappers initially presented a list of four major demands to the government, which included the payment of an undisclosed ransom, the provision of two Hilux operational vehicles, the implementation of Sharia-related laws, and the immediate release of detained high-profile terror commanders.
The specific commanders listed for swap were Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his second-in-command, Abubakar Abba, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri. Both individuals are recognized as senior figures within the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fi Biladis Sudan, an extremist breakaway faction of Boko Haram, who were apprehended by the Department of State Services last year. However, as military forces continue to tighten the perimeter around the enclave, the abductors have reportedly dropped their ideological and logistics demands, shifting their primary focus toward securing a financial ransom.
Intelligence reports revealed that the leader of the kidnapping ring is an indigene of the Oriire Local Government Area who resided among local communities before becoming radicalized by the Ansaru network. The operational theater shares a border corridor stretching toward the Niger Republic and the Kainji axis, a vast region characterized by dense forest covers and a total lack of telecommunication signals. Security agencies had previously received intelligence concerning planned attacks on educational facilities in the axis, which prompted the temporary closure of several remote schools. The recent surge in attacks on soft targets is attributed to sustained military onslaughts in traditional insurgent strongholds, forcing scattered remnants to target vulnerable communities.
Collaborative efforts between the military and the Department of State Services have led to major breakthroughs against Ansaru, Boko Haram, and the Islamic State West Africa Province, resulting in the neutralization of at least 168 high-profile terror commanders. Commenting on the situation, a senior security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity expressed absolute certainty regarding the outcome of the campaign. The source stated, “The war against terrorism will be won. We will not relent in the ongoing offensive until these criminals are either eliminated or forced out of the country. President Bola Tinubu recently issued a strong warning to them. The signs of victory are already becoming evident.”
In a separate security development within the state, the Oyo State Police Command has dismissed widespread reports claiming that a Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, facilitated the tactical release of separate kidnap victims in Igboho, located within the Oorelope Local Government Area. The police reaction followed viral social media clips suggesting that an ultimatum issued by the activist forced the hands of the kidnappers. The incident involved the midnight abduction of a family, including a pregnant woman, her children, and a sibling, with the kidnappers initially demanding N300 million before reducing the sum to N150 million. Following a public warning by Igboho against turning the community into a criminal hub, local celebrations erupted over the rumored release of the victims.
In the widely shared video message, Igboho had expressed deep anger over the security breaches within the area. Igboho said, “You can’t be kidnapping in my father’s land and expect me to keep quiet. I’m an original indigene of Igboho land. You kidnapped a pregnant woman, and the person who brought the ransom, you killed him and killed the pregnant woman, for what? In Igboho? You people are not even afraid of me in my father’s land? This should be the last, and it must end. My father has urged me to address you people patiently. What I’m fighting in other people’s land, you can’t come here and be doing it in my father’s land.”
However, the leadership of the state police command has strongly disputed the narrative regarding the rescue operation, describing the internet reports as unverified. Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, clarified the stance of the law enforcement agency in an official brief. Ayanlade stated, “The Nigeria Police Force has officially debunked claims that the hostages have been safely released. Oyo State Commissioner of Police has explicitly denied that Sunday Igboho was involved in recent rescue operations.” The command urged members of the public to disregard the unsubstantiated claims and await formal updates through authorized communication channels.
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