No Ransom Paid, Concessions Made in Rescue of Oyo Abductees — Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu on Friday confirmed that no ransom was paid and no concessions were granted to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by suspected Ansaru terrorists in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The President, in a statement shared on his verified X account, said the victims were rescued alive and unharmed through a coordinated operation involving Nigeria’s security agencies.

“Tonight, our nation has reason to give thanks. The children and teachers abducted by Ansaru terrorists in Oyo State have been rescued by our security forces, alive and unharmed. No ransom was paid. No concession was made,” Tinubu wrote.

The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, after armed men attacked schools in Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota, and Alawusa communities in Oriire Local Government Area, where about 39 pupils and seven teachers were taken from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele and Yawota communities.

One of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was killed while in captivity, while the abductors, linked to the Ansaru terrorist faction, had demanded the release of detained commanders Mahmud Muhammad Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri, also known as Abubakar Abba or Isah Adam.

The federal government had rejected the demand, a position that was later confirmed in a viral video released by one of the abducted teachers.

Following the successful rescue operation, Tinubu commended personnel of the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police Force for their courage and professionalism in securing the victims’ freedom.

“I salute every officer and operative whose courage, discipline, and professionalism made this possible,” he said.

The President also warned terrorists that his administration would continue to pursue criminal elements responsible for attacks on Nigerians.

“To those who seek to spread fear through terror, know that the Nigerian state will pursue you relentlessly. We will protect our people, defend our communities, and never relent until peace and security prevail across our country,” he stated.

According to the Presidency’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the rescue followed a joint military, police, and intelligence-led operation, which resulted in the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers and the neutralisation of several others.

Tinubu praised the Oyo State Government for its cooperation during the operation and directed relevant emergency agencies to work with the state government to provide medical attention and necessary support for the rescued victims.

He further assured that justice would be pursued for the abducted pupils, their teachers, and the family of Oyedokun, who was killed by the terrorists.

“My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered,” the President stated.

The rescue brought an end to the 56-day captivity of the victims, marking one of the longest school abduction incidents recorded in Nigeria in recent months.

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