By Brian Kiprono - Reporter
Nigeria, 11 July 2026 - Nigeria's military has rescued all 44 pupils and teachers kidnapped from three schools in Oyo State nearly two months ago, bringing relief to families after a lengthy ordeal that also claimed the lives of several soldiers involved in the operation.
The rescue marks a significant breakthrough in Nigeria's fight against school kidnappings, which have become an enduring security challenge despite government efforts to protect learning institutions.
In a statement issued on Friday, military spokesperson Danjuma Jonah Danjuma said the victims had been freed during a coordinated operation involving the army, police, intelligence agencies and local vigilante groups.
The rescued pupils and teachers are currently receiving medical care at an undisclosed hospital before they are reunited with their families.
The military said several soldiers were killed during the rescue mission but did not disclose how many.
The victims were abducted on 15 May when armed men raided Baptist Nursery and Primary School, LA Primary School and Community Grammar School in Osiire, Oyo State. Authorities said the operation eventually led security forces to the kidnappers' hideouts inside the Old Oyo National Park Forest, where several suspects were arrested.
The army said it dismantled the criminal network behind the abduction, including informants who had supported the kidnappers, adding that more security operations were underway to apprehend those still at large.
For families, the rescue ended weeks of uncertainty and anguish.
"It was a harrowing experience... but we thank God that it ended well," said Professor Wole Alamu, whose wife, Rachael Folawe Alamu, is the headteacher of Community Grammar School.
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"We are happy that they are out and we are grateful to everybody who has contributed in one way or the other for the release," he added.
The abduction had sparked widespread concern because it occurred in Nigeria's predominantly Christian south-west, a region less frequently affected by the mass school kidnappings that have plagued the country's north for years.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Oyo State, Hassan Ajibola, welcomed the rescue but urged the government to strengthen school security to prevent similar incidents.
"I am very much convinced that should that programme be fully implemented as initiated, our schools will be very, very secured," Ajibola told the BBC.
He called for the full implementation of Nigeria's Safe School Initiative, including the deployment of security personnel, installation of CCTV cameras, regular patrols, fencing of schools and greater use of community security groups in areas facing police shortages.
The latest rescue comes as renewed waves of mass kidnappings continue to raise concerns over insecurity ahead of Nigeria's general election next year. Rights groups and lawmakers have repeatedly questioned the effectiveness of security measures designed to protect schools, while demanding greater accountability over funding allocated to the Safe School Initiative.
Although the successful operation offers hope to affected families, it also highlights the continuing threat posed by armed criminal gangs operating from remote forests across parts of the country.