OYO STATE — The Nigerian government announced on Friday that 44 students and teachers abducted in May from schools in Oyo State had been rescued in a military-led operation. The victims had been held captive for over 50 days following their abduction on May 15, 2026, from three schools in the Oriire local government area of Oyo State, a state in southwestern Nigeria.

The victims were seized from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, LA Primary School, and Community Grammar School. Authorities initially reported that 46 students and staff members were taken during the coordinated attack. One teacher was killed shortly after the abduction, reducing the number of those ultimately held to 45. Of the 44 rescued, the youngest was two years old and the oldest was 16. Senator Abdulfatai Buhari confirmed the presence of very young children among the victims, stating there were two- and three-year-olds who had been kidnapped.

The rescue operation involved Nigeria’s military, police, intelligence agencies, and local vigilante groups. It lasted more than a month and targeted militant hideouts in the Old Oyo National Park. During the operation, eight militants were arrested, an unspecified number were killed, and Nigerian security forces suffered casualties, according to the army. defense Minister Christopher Musa said the kidnappers had attempted to use the students as leverage to pressure the government into releasing imprisoned commanders.

The rescued victims are now receiving medical treatment at a military hospital. Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde visited them on Saturday and described their condition. “They were happy to be out of captivity, just like any of us. When your freedom is taken away, it's a different set of minds. But they are glad to be back,” Makinde said. He added, “Some of them are still very frail. They have to do quite a bit of medical intervention, post-traumatic issues, you know, to be addressed.”

President Bola Tinubu hailed the operation as a national success. “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,” he said. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga emphasized that the rescue involved no quid pro quo.

Why It Matters

The abduction triggered widespread protests across Nigeria and a state-wide teachers' strike, underscoring growing public concern over school safety. While mass kidnappings have historically occurred in northern Nigeria, this incident marked a significant escalation in the southwest. Senator Buhari, reflecting on seeing the freed children, said, “I was almost shedding tears yesterday when I saw them. It was mental torture.” A spokesman for President Tinubu separately accused opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar of having “weaponised the kidnap as a campaign issue,” adding a political dimension to the national response.