Detained Relatives of Kidnappers Paved Way for Release of Abducted Oriire Pupils

New information has come to light about the rescue operation that freed schoolchildren and teachers from Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota, and Alawusa communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, revealing that the arrest of kidnappers' family members was a crucial factor in the successful outcome.

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The arrest of family members of the kidnappers proved to be a turning point, according to security sources, as it led to a shift in the kidnappers' behavior and ultimately contributed to the rescue of the victims.

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On May 15, 2026, 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers were abducted by terrorists, and while one of the teachers was killed in captivity, the remaining victims were rescued on July 10 during a coordinated operation involving the military and the Department of State Services, DSS.

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Security sources disclosed that after weeks of gathering intelligence and applying military pressure, DSS operatives tracked down and arrested several wives and children of the kidnappers in different communities and cities across the country.

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The operation was coordinated by a senior DSS official, who oversaw the sealing off of the terrorists' escape routes and the surrounding of their hideout inside the National Park forest.

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The family members of the kidnappers were taken to Abuja, where the wives were interrogated, and video recordings of the interrogations were somehow leaked to the kidnappers, which reportedly unsettled them and altered the course of negotiations.

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The kidnappers, who had initially taken a hardline stance, became more responsive and started making frequent contact, proposing to release the abducted schoolchildren and teachers in exchange for the freedom of their wives and guarantees of safe passage.

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However, security agencies rejected this proposal, insisting that the captives must first be released and that the kidnappers should surrender or face arrest or possible elimination during military operations.

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Investigators believe that the arrest of the terrorists' family members reduced the likelihood of harm to the hostages, as the abductors feared possible consequences for their own relatives.

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As contacts continued, the joint rescue force steadily tightened the cordon around the terrorists' hideout, setting the stage for the final rescue mission.

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A source familiar with the operation disclosed that the final order to storm the camp was issued on Thursday night, after fresh intelligence confirmed that the abducted schoolchildren and teachers were no longer being used as human shields.

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The assault was swift, well-coordinated, and backed by overwhelming firepower, catching the terrorists off guard, and multiple security sources added that in the weeks preceding the final assault, troops had engaged the terrorists in repeated gun battles designed to weaken their fighting capability and deplete their stock of ammunition.

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During the operation, scores of terrorists were killed, while eight others were arrested, and although members of the rescue team suffered casualties, all the surviving abducted schoolchildren and teachers were rescued safely.

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The decision to launch the final assault, rather than prolong negotiations, was influenced by lessons learned from the abduction of Maj. Gen. Abubakar Rabbe, retd, in Katsina State, where the DSS had earlier recommended a military assault on the kidnappers' hideout.

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However, the recommendation was reportedly not adopted, and Gen. Rabbe later died in captivity, reportedly following a medical condition, which reinforced the view that prolonged negotiations with heavily armed terrorist groups sometimes carry greater risks than carefully planned rescue operations backed by credible intelligence.

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With the successful rescue of the Oriire victims and the arrest of some of the suspected kidnappers, investigations are continuing, and security sources said children of the suspects who had committed no offense would be released, while any of their wives found to have actively participated in the criminal activities would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

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The arrest of terrorists' family members was in line with President Bola Tinubu's new policy of not paying ransom or negotiating with terrorists, and the kidnappers had initially demanded the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles, and the implementation of Sharia-related laws as conditions for freeing the victims.

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The kidnappers specifically requested the release of Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, both of whom are identified by security agencies as leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a breakaway faction of Boko Haram linked to Al Qaeda.