Nigeria rescues 39 pupils, 5 teachers after 56-day Boko Haram abduction

Security forces in Nigeria rescued 39 pupils and five teachers on July 10, 2026, ending a 56-day ordeal that began on May 15 when gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The abductors, identified as members of Boko Haram or affiliated groups including Ansaru, had demanded the release of detained commanders in exchange for the hostages—a demand the government rejected. The successful rescue followed a joint military and intelligence operation involving the Nigerian Army, police, Department of State Services, and local security forces. Eight militants were arrested during the operation, and an unspecified number were killed.

Rescued victims described severe conditions during their captivity. Principal Rachael Alamu recounted that kidnappers forced captives through repeated night-time treks through dense forests lasting three to four hours whenever security forces closed in, with younger children carried while older pupils walked despite exhaustion. Children were beaten into silence when they cried, male teachers were chained and blindfolded, and captives survived on cocoyam, noodles, and water from a waterfall. Despite harsh treatment, Alamu confirmed no sexual molestation occurred.

The rescue operation came at significant cost. President Bola Tinubu commended security agencies for conducting the operation without collateral damage, but Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that security personnel and three teachers, including a beheaded mathematics teacher, lost their lives during the abduction and rescue efforts. Rescued victims were transferred to the 2 Division Nigerian Army Medical Services in Ibadan for 48 hours of medical observation and psychosocial support to address trauma from prolonged captivity. One of the seven abducted teachers was killed earlier in captivity, leaving five recovered.

Governor Makinde subsequently called for an independent United Nations and international human rights investigation into the abduction and its resolution, stating the circumstances were "sufficiently grave and unusual to warrant independent scrutiny beyond our domestic institutions." He emphasized the need for transparency, accountability, and a full accounting of institutional failures or negligence at any level. President Tinubu directed emergency response agencies to work with the Oyo State Government to provide comprehensive medical care and relief support as victims recover, and urged strengthened security around schools to prevent similar incidents.