Oyo Abduction: Why Rescue Took 56 Days – IGP

Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has explained that security agencies delayed the rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State to protect the victims and avoid compromising the operation.

Disu said security agencies came under pressure from Nigerians over the pace of the operation, with some comparing the response with security operations in other countries.

Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, the IGP said security officials held meetings late into the night and deliberately kept operational details secret to prevent the abductors from gaining information that could endanger the hostages.

The victims were abducted in May 2026 after suspected terrorists attacked two schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, taking dozens of pupils and teachers into captivity.

They were eventually rescued after 56 days in captivity in a coordinated operation by security agencies.

Disu said the attackers used a teacher’s vehicle to transport the victims before setting it ablaze at the entrance to the forest.

“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,” he said.

He said the location of the incident created additional challenges because of poor communication networks and the limited presence of security personnel in the area.

According to him, police officers, soldiers and local vigilantes immediately began tracking the abductors, with one police officer killed during the pursuit.

“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 said.

“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,” he said.

The IGP said the operation also involved aerial surveillance, with police and Nigerian Air Force helicopters deployed to search for the victims and their abductors around the clock.

“From that moment, the Nigerian Air Force helicopter, the police helicopter, everybody were there searching day and night,” he said.

Disu said security agencies deliberately withheld regular updates because disclosing details could have exposed the hostages to greater danger.

He said the agencies had to balance public pressure for swift action with the need to avoid decisions that could result in collateral damage or jeopardise the victims’ safety.

“Everybody were attacking us, left and right, with gun security. What is this? What is that? We cannot come out and talk. We cannot expose those children,” he said.

“There’s something they call collateral damage. People are forcing us. People are comparing us to other countries in the world. They wanted us to take hasty decisions.”

The IGP added that operational details were restricted even among some security personnel to maintain secrecy and prevent information leaks.

He said the victims were eventually rescued after weeks of coordinated efforts involving the various security agencies.