The Nigerian military has unveiled frontline footage documenting the coordinated mission that resulted in the rescue of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers from Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State after they spent more than 50 days in captivity.
The video shows soldiers and other security personnel moving through challenging forest terrain during the intelligence-driven operation that ultimately secured the victims’ release without the payment of any ransom.
The successful rescue, which was officially announced on Friday, came after weeks of joint operations involving the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Amotekun Corps, local hunters, and vigilante groups.
According to the security report, troops carried out a gradual advance into the forest from several directions over a three-week period, steadily restricting the terrorists’ movement until they were confined to a limited area.
The report further stated that the offensive destroyed the terrorists’ communication infrastructure and logistics stockpiles. Also, security forces took control of all major strategic locations within the operational zone.
This, it noted, significantly weakened the group’s command structure without endangering the lives of the captives.
The report also indicated that security agencies simultaneously targeted the terrorists’ support network by apprehending suspected collaborators, informants, and enablers in communities surrounding the forest.
In addition, family members of alleged Ansaru operatives were reportedly detained in other parts of the country. According to the report, these actions sparked widespread defections, with most members abandoning both their leader and the enclave.
Sources said the sustained military offensive, coupled with the disruption of the group’s logistics and communication systems, as well as the reported breakdown of its internal unity, eventually led to the unconditional release of the pupils and teachers on July 8.
Although the captives regained their freedom on that date, the overall operation was reported to have been concluded on Thursday, July 9.
According to the Nigerian Army, the mission was meticulously designed to dismantle the kidnappers’ operational network while ensuring the victims were rescued alive.
The Army stated: “The operations, which lasted for more than a month, focused on identifying the terrorists’ kingpins, dismantling their networks and logistics links, including their informants and hideouts located within the Old Oyo National Park Forest.”
The video of the rescue mission is below:
𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎: 𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐲𝐨 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬
Credit: X | Abdulfagge
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The Army revealed that multiple suspects were taken into custody during the operation, adding that relentless pressure on the kidnappers compelled them to free the abducted pupils and teachers.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said eight suspected kidnappers are now in DSS custody, while several others were neutralised.
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue, as one of the terrorists, a kingpin whose release the kidnappers demanded, is being prosecuted for his atrocities,” Onanuga said.
President Bola Tinubu also commended the security agencies for what he described as a successful mission, emphasizing that no ransom was paid and no concessions were granted to the abductors.
The rescued pupils and their teachers are presently receiving medical care ahead of their reunion with their families.
The schoolchildren and their teachers were kidnapped in Oyo State on May 15, 2026, during an attack that the statement attributed to the Ansaru terrorist group operating from the Oyo forest, which it identified as the group’s principal sanctuary in the area.
