By Taiwo Scholastica
Parents and relatives of the pupils and teachers recently rescued from captivity in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State gathered on Tuesday at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, to reunite with their children and wards.
The victims were taken to the hospital for medical examinations and psychological evaluation following their rescue, while anxious family members waited at the facility for their arrival.
The group comprises 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a school principal, who were abducted on May 15, 2026, when gunmen suspected to be members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan popularly known as Ansaru attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; L.A. Primary School; and Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esiele, all in the Oriire Local Government Area.
The victims regained their freedom on Friday, July 10, after a coordinated military, police, and intelligence operation.
According to the Presidency, the rescue mission led to the neutralization of some of the terrorists involved in the attack and the arrest of eight suspects.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said the victims were rescued without the payment of a ransom or any prisoner exchange.
Reacting to the development, President Bola Tinubu praised the security agencies for the successful operation.
“I am profoundly happy that our security forces successfully rescued the abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire, Ogbomoso, in Oyo State after a military, police, and intelligence-driven operation that neutralized some of the terrorists who perpetrated the evil act and led to the arrest of eight of them. My government will get justice for these children and their teachers, and for the family of Mr. Oyedokun, whom the terrorists gruesomely murdered,” he said.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde also welcomed the rescue of the victims, describing it as a huge relief for the state and the affected families.
The rescued pupils and teachers are expected to remain under medical observation and receive psychosocial support before they are fully reunited with their families and resume normal activities.