The Presidency has disclosed that eight suspected members of the gang behind the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are now in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) following the security operation that secured the victims’ freedom after 56 days in captivity. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said several other suspects were neutralised during the operation.
Fresh details have emerged from the successful rescue of the abducted Oyo schoolchildren and teachers, with the Presidency confirming that several members of the kidnapping syndicate have already been apprehended.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga announced on Friday that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested during the coordinated rescue mission and are currently being held by the Department of State Services (DSS) as investigations continue.
According to Onanuga, the security operation not only secured the release of all the abducted pupils and teachers but also dealt a major blow to the criminal network responsible for the attack.
He disclosed that:
- Eight suspected kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody.
- Some members of the kidnapping gang were neutralised during the operation.
- The rescue was carried out without any prisoner exchange or concession to the abductors.
- A notorious kingpin whose release had reportedly been demanded by the kidnappers remains in custody and is still facing prosecution.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, after armed men attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, abducting 46 pupils and teachers and killing one teacher during the assault.
The incident sparked nationwide outrage, protests by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and sustained pressure on security agencies to secure the victims’ release.
Their rescue after about 56 days in captivity marks one of the most significant security breakthroughs in the case so far.
Onanuga stressed that the operation did not involve negotiations requiring the release of detained terrorists.
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue, as one of the terrorists, a kingpin whose release was demanded by the kidnappers, is being prosecuted for his atrocities.”
He added that security agencies would provide a comprehensive briefing on how the operation was executed and the ongoing investigation into the kidnapping network.
The arrest of eight suspects represents a significant development in the investigation into one of Nigeria’s most high-profile school abduction cases this year. As the rescued pupils and teachers begin recovery, attention is now turning to the prosecution of those in custody and efforts by security agencies to dismantle the remaining members of the criminal network.