BREAKING: Relief As Abducted Oyo Pupils, Teachers Regain Freedom After Weeks In Captivity

July 10 () — The pupils and teachers abducted during a deadly raid on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom after spending nearly two months in captivity, ending weeks of anxiety for their families and communities.

The development was announced on Friday by the Presidency through the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who disclosed the release in a post on his verified X account.

“Finally, the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo have been freed by their abductors”, Onanuga wrote.

The presidential aide, however, did not disclose the circumstances surrounding the victims’ release, including whether it followed negotiations, a security operation or the payment of ransom.

As of press time, the Oyo State Government and the security agencies involved in the rescue efforts had yet to issue official statements confirming the development or providing details of the operation that secured the victims’ freedom.

recalls that the victims were kidnapped on May 15, after heavily armed gunmen stormed three schools in the Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area in one of the deadliest attacks on educational institutions in Oyo State in recent years.

The attackers invaded Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School during school hours, abducting dozens of pupils alongside several teachers.

The attack also claimed at least two lives. Among the victims was a teacher who was reportedly beheaded by the assailants, a gruesome killing that drew widespread outrage and renewed concerns over the safety of schools in Nigeria.

In the aftermath of the attack, security agencies launched a coordinated manhunt for the kidnappers, while the Oyo State Government pledged to work with federal security authorities to ensure the safe return of the captives. The incident also reignited calls for improved security around schools, particularly in rural communities increasingly targeted by armed criminal groups.

Although the Presidency has confirmed that all the abducted pupils and teachers have regained their freedom, questions remain over how the release was secured, with authorities yet to provide a detailed account of the operation.

For the families of the victims and residents of the affected communities, Friday’s announcement marked the end of an agonising wait that lasted almost eight weeks.