The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has explained why security forces are yet to rescue the pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State, saying the kidnappers threatened to kill the captives if troops advanced on their hideout.

Musa stated this in a preview of an interview with News Central TV shared on Wednesday, more than 50 days after the abduction of the pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Gunmen had on May 15 attacked the Ahoro-Esiele community in Oriire LGA, abducting 46 pupils and teachers, including the principal of a secondary school.

The crisis worsened days later when one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was killed by the kidnappers.

On the same day, suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting over 40 children, including toddlers. The attackers reportedly used the children as human shields while fleeing.

The incidents sparked nationwide outrage, with the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) and other stakeholders staging protests and demanding urgent government action.

Daily Trust reports that pressure for the victims’ rescue and negotiations intensified after a series of videos emerged in which Mrs Rachael Alamu, the abducted principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, appealed to authorities to urgently negotiate their release.

Explaining the delay in the rescue operation, the defence minister said the kidnappers were using the Oyo pupils and teachers as bargaining chips to secure the release of some of their commanders in military custody.

“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander.

“And now they’re threatening when we wanted to take action against them that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids,” he said.

Speaking further on measures to curb banditry and kidnapping, Musa backed the death penalty for perpetrators, saying weak laws had emboldened criminals.

“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he added.

Daily Trust recalled that top security sources said that they have arrested associates of the terrorists behind the abduction of the pupils and teachers.

They said the arrests followed weeks of intelligence gathering by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), which helped identify members of the kidnapping network and those providing them with support.

According to the sources, the suspects were picked up from different parts of the country and are assisting investigators.

“The pressure is mounting on the abductors because they now know that some of the people linked to them have been identified and apprehended. This has affected their confidence and is influencing ongoing negotiations,” one of the sources said.

“It is true that terrorists specifically sought 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 senior members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru) currently in DSS custody,” the source said.

No clue on Borno children

Meanwhile, parents of the 42 children abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State said they are yet to receive any information about the whereabouts of their children, more than 50 days after the incident.

The parents appealed to security agencies and the federal government to intensify efforts to secure the children’s safe release.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Thursday, some of the families said they remained in anguish and uncertainty over the fate of their children.

“We still have no information about our children, and nobody has come to brief us on what the government is doing,” said Saleh Buba, whose two children are among those still missing.

Another parent said the only information reaching them was speculation that government officials had established contact with the abductors.

“Nobody has come to update us on the children or tell us where they are. All we see in the news is the federal government’s concern about the abducted Oyo teachers and schoolchildren.

“Both the state and federal governments have remained silent over our own children. We don’t know what is happening,” the parent said.

Actions taken since pupils’ abduction

The federal and Oyo State governments, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and other stakeholders have taken a series of actions following the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area.

A few days after the abduction, teachers staged protests across several states over the growing attacks on schools and the abduction of students and teachers, calling for urgent action to secure learning institutions.

The demonstrations, organised by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), were held in Oyo, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Borno, Taraba, Adamawa, Kano, Sokoto, Anambra, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory and other parts of the country.

Speaking during the protest in Abuja, NUT National President, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all abducted teachers and students, warning that continued attacks on schools posed a serious threat to education and national development.

Tinubu approves recruitment of 1,000 forest guards

The incident also prompted the Federal Government to dispatch a high-powered delegation to the affected communities in Oyo State.

During the visit, the delegation announced that President Bola Tinubu had approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State in collaboration with the state government to strengthen security around forest areas.

The president also directed the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.

The delegation, led by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, also assured community leaders and lawmakers that their request for the establishment of a military base in the area would be conveyed to the president for consideration.

Addressing residents, Gbajabiamila said Tinubu’s decision to send the country’s top security officials demonstrated his determination to deploy every available resource towards securing the victims’ release.

“Mr President also saw the appeals from some parents and community members urging caution in the rescue efforts. Let me assure you that the operation will be intelligence-led and carefully coordinated, deploying both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to secure the safe return of the victims,” he said.

Vows to use every lawful means

A few days after the presidential delegation’s visit, President Tinubu, on June 1, assured Nigerians that every effort would be made to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers.

In a statement posted on his X handle, Tinubu said security agencies had been directed to deploy every lawful means available, including both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, to ensure the victims’ safe return.

Tinubu stressed that children should never be subjected to the trauma of abduction.

“No child should be taken from the safety of a classroom. No parent should have to endure this anguish,” he said.

He assured the affected communities that rescue efforts would remain sustained, coordinated and intelligence-driven.

The president also reiterated his directive for the deployment of a specialised security unit equipped with advanced rescue capabilities.

Makinde visits community, identifies kidnappers’ hideout

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State visited the affected communities on May 30, where he met with families of the abducted pupils and teachers and assured them that the government would do everything possible to secure their safe return.

He appealed for patience, understanding and cooperation, urging residents not to blame either the federal or state government but to unite behind efforts to rescue the victims.

Makinde also paid tribute to operatives of Amotekun, noting that some had lost their lives while confronting criminal elements across the state.

The governor disclosed that since the abduction, he had been holding security meetings twice daily and working closely with security agencies to facilitate the victims’ rescue.

“Please, I want you to cooperate with us because we are doing everything humanly possible to get our children and teachers back,” he said.

On June 13, Makinde disclosed that intelligence reports indicated the abductees were being held inside the Old Oyo National Park, which spans about 2,500 square kilometres.

He explained that the vast and difficult terrain had complicated rescue operations, requiring careful planning and coordination, but maintained that security agencies were pursuing every credible lead.

Army officer killed during rescue mission

On June 16, Makinde disclosed that a lieutenant of the Nigerian Army was killed during efforts to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers.

The governor made the disclosure while addressing protesters in Ibadan who demanded urgent government action over the continued captivity of the victims.

“We have lost men, even soldiers, officers. I can confirm to you that a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army was killed two days ago,” he said.

Makinde did not disclose the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death but said the incident highlighted the risks being faced by security personnel involved in the operation.

While acknowledging that there had been no breakthrough, he assured residents that rescue efforts would continue while avoiding unnecessary casualties.

“Oyo State is not Chibok, and it will not be Chibok,” the governor said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to exhausting every available option to secure the victims’ release.

Curfew imposed on 10 LGAs

On June 24, the Oyo State Government imposed a 16-hour curfew on 10 local government areas bordering the Old Oyo National Park as part of measures to strengthen security operations.

According to a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde, the curfew ran from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. for an initial 48-hour period beginning June 24.

The affected local government areas were Oriire, Orelope, Irepo, Saki West, Saki East, Atisbo, Itesiwaju, Iseyin, Olorunsogo and Atiba.

The curfew was lifted on June 27 after security agencies reviewed the situation.

Providing another update on June 26, Makinde reiterated that rescuing the abducted pupils and teachers remained the government’s top priority.

“Security agencies have continued intensive operations aimed at securing the safe return of the abducted children and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area.

“These efforts remain active and coordinated, with the government providing every necessary support to the security agencies involved,” he said.

Protests in Borno

In Borno State, parents and residents of the affected communities also protested what they described as the Federal Government’s silence over the abduction of children from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, arguing that the Oyo abduction had received far greater attention.

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone E, also staged peaceful protests in parts of the North-East, demanding the rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers.

The July 1 attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area triggered another round of protests by angry parents and residents, who demanded immediate action by the government to rescue the children still in captivity.

Speaking on the reported threat by bandits to kill abducted pupils in Oyo State if security forces advanced to rescue them, security analyst Ridwan Aleshinloye said the development underscored the need for the Federal Government to adopt a more proactive, intelligence-driven and technology-based approach to tackling insecurity.

Aleshinloye said the government should move from reacting to attacks to preventing them through effective intelligence gathering backed by artificial intelligence and other modern surveillance technologies.

He argued that despite huge public spending on security, attacks on schools and communities have continued, raising concerns about the effectiveness of existing measures.

According to him, the Federal Government disclosed that it spent more than N57.7 billion on efforts to tackle insecurity in the first quarter of the year, yet violent attacks have persisted across several parts of the country.

“Despite that level of spending, we have continued to witness attacks on schools and communities. That shows there is a need to review the country’s security strategy,” he said.

A security analyst also expressed concern over the growing trend of negotiating with bandits, citing a recent case in Katsina State where, according to him, authorities sought dialogue with armed groups.

“It has gotten to a point where bandits are even terrorising and issuing ultimatums to the government, demanding the release of some of their leaders and making other conditions,” he said.

Aleshinloye further questioned the government’s deradicalisation and reintegration programme, referring to the reintegration of former Boko Haram members in Borno State.

“Recently, in Borno State, out of the over 60,000 so-called repentant Boko Haram members, about 8,000 have reportedly been reintegrated. We need to ask what mechanisms were put in place before taking such actions,” he said.

He maintained that technology should form the backbone of Nigeria’s counter insurgency strategy, with greater deployment of drones, CCTV cameras and other surveillance tools across forests and other vulnerable areas.

“What we need is about 40 per cent human capacity and 60 per cent technology and artificial intelligence. That is the only way we can effectively track these perpetrators without endangering innocent victims,” he said.

According to him, deploying drones to patrol forest reserves and other suspected hideouts would enable security agencies to identify the locations and movements of criminal groups and respond more effectively.

Aleshinloye also urged the government to provide security agencies with modern weapons and equipment.

He argued that personnel should be adequately equipped to confront heavily armed criminal groups.

He maintained that Nigeria has sufficient security manpower but has failed to maximise its capacity in tackling insurgency and banditry.

“We have about 400,000 police officers and about 180,000 soldiers. Boko Haram fighters are not up to 50,000, yet we have not been able to effectively dismantle their operations,” he said.

He warned that the worsening insecurity poses a serious threat to national stability and called for stronger political will to confront the crisis.

“What is needed now is the political will to act decisively,” he said.

Another security expert, Major General Umar I Mohammed, said that a rescue mission is always risky, saying that a coordinated effort should be made by the armed forces to rescue the abducted children.

“What I mean is that the troops are at risk because they don’t know the ground, they don’t know how many or how prepared those kidnappers are. The victims are also at risk, and even the kidnappers are at risk,” he said.

“In other words, provided it’s a rescue mission, these three people may all be in danger. They stand the chance of either surviving or being killed. So it’s a matter of striking a balance of what you want to do,” he said.

He advised the armed forces to assess the risk level and explain to all the people involved that there would be implications.

“But to me, if they still want to rescue them, they should be able to raid that place. What we should expect is that there could be collateral damage.

“They may end up not killing all the captives. They will at least save some of them, and the advantage is that, if they overpower the bandits, they can kill all the assailants who kidnapped the children.

“And by this, we reduce the number of criminals that we have. That is for me the available option,” he added. (Daily Trust)

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