Relief has swept across Oyo State and the nation following the successful release of all schoolchildren and teachers abducted during the deadly May 15 attack on Ahoro-Esiele community in Oriire Local Government Area. The victims, comprising 46 pupils, teachers and a secondary school principal, were seized when heavily armed gunmen stormed the community, sparking widespread outrage, fear and urgent calls for decisive government intervention.
The kidnapping, which drew national attention, took a heartbreaking turn with the gruesome killing of one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, whose beheading underscored the brutality of the attackers and heightened pressure on security agencies to secure the victims’ freedom. The eventual release of the remaining hostages marks a significant breakthrough in the high-profile abduction, bringing relief to their families and rekindling calls for strengthened security measures to protect schools and rural communities from future attacks.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga disclosed the information on his X page, formerly Twitter on Friday.
He said, “Finally, the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been freed by their abductors”.
Their abduction elicited widespread condemnation and protest from cross section of Nigerians, especially the Nigerian Union of Teachers(NUT) which vowed never to return to classrooms until the victims are set free.
The victims were said to be held within the expansive 2,500-square-kilometer Old Oyo National Park.
While security forces intensified rescue operations and arrested several suspects and local informants, the victims remain in captivity after multiple weeks.
While the rescue efforts persisted, the abductors reportedly demanded for the release of their top commanders in exchange for the freedom of the pupils and teachers.
