Oyo abduction: Why rescue took 56 days — IG

Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu has clarified that the extended 56-day period before the rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State was a strategic decision to prioritize the victims' safety. Despite mounting public criticism and comparisons with international security responses, Disu stated that security agencies held numerous meetings to ensure their plans minimized collateral damage.

“

I will share with you the incident of the Ogbomosho kidnap. That day, they came. Two schools they went to and kidnapped those children and their teachers. They used the vehicle of one of the teachers, the head teacher. When they got to the entrance of the bush that they were going to, they set fire to the vehicle. We didn’t know why they did it.

The abduction occurred in May 2026 when suspected terrorists attacked two schools in Oriire Local Government Area, taking dozens of pupils and teachers captive. The attackers used one of the teachers' vehicles to escape into a forest, later setting the vehicle ablaze. Disu noted that the remote location, characterized by a lack of network coverage and distant police stations, presented significant challenges for the security operatives.

“

In that area, there is no network at all, at all. And I think even police station far, far, far, far from them. But they had only one street, one road that goes to the two villages where this kidnap happened.

Disu detailed the extensive, round-the-clock search operation involving police, soldiers, and vigilantes. He revealed that one officer was killed while tracking the abductors, emphasizing the risks undertaken by security personnel. Aerial support, including helicopters from the police and the Nigerian Air Force, was deployed to aid the search efforts. The IGP stressed that the public was largely unaware of the intense efforts and sacrifices made during the operation.

“

Policemen came, soldiers came, vigilante came. I’m talking to you now because it’s only us who are here. They followed them, the path. Somebody was shot as we were following them. Nobody mentioned that. Nobody saw it. Nobody saw the effort we put in.