The abductors of schoolchildren and teachers from three communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are reportedly facing mounting pressure to release their captives as security agencies intensify efforts to dismantle the kidnapping network.
Security sources said recent operations have led to the identification of several associates linked to the kidnappers, with operatives tracing them to different parts of the country. The development is said to have unsettled the abductors and weakened their confidence.
The victims were abducted on May 15 when gunmen invaded Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota and Alawusa communities in Oriire Local Government Area, taking away 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers.
Since the incident, the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government and security agencies have continued coordinated efforts to secure the safe release of the victims.
According to security sources, the latest breakthrough followed weeks of intelligence gathering by the Department of State Services (DSS), which enabled operatives to identify members of the kidnapping network and launch operations targeting their collaborators.
The renewed operations are also said to have thrown the kidnappers’ camp into disarray, with the abductors becoming increasingly concerned after realising that security agencies had identified key members of their support network.
A security source familiar with the operation said the sustained pressure had made the kidnappers more willing to negotiate the release of the captives.
“The kidnappers are becoming increasingly apprehensive. Their confidence has been shaken, and they are now showing greater willingness to release the children,” the source said.
It was further gathered that while security agencies continue to clamp down on the kidnappers’ associates, a joint team of DSS operatives and military personnel is steadily closing in on the abductors’ hideout, raising hopes that the victims could soon regain their freedom.
The intensified operations have also reportedly forced the kidnappers to soften their initial demands.
The abductors had earlier demanded 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 identified by security agencies as senior members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a breakaway faction of Boko Haram. The two suspects were arrested by DSS operatives last year.
Security sources said the kidnappers are now believed to be more concerned about escaping the ongoing security operations than pursuing their earlier demands.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, has confirmed progress in the ongoing efforts to rescue the abducted schoolchildren and teachers.
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Port Harcourt, Shaibu said military operations aimed at securing the release of the victims were advancing steadily.
“Operations are currently ongoing to rescue those children abducted in Oyo State, and we are making tremendous progress,” he said.
The Army Chief expressed confidence that the operation would end with the safe rescue of the victims, stressing that the Nigerian Army remains committed to tackling security threats across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
Highlighting recent military successes, Shaibu disclosed that troops under Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East had neutralised more than 1,872 insurgents, while many others had surrendered.
He also revealed that troops, working alongside United States partners, recently eliminated high-profile Islamic State commander, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.
According to him, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Whirlwind and the newly established Operation Savannah Shield have continued to record successes across the North-Central, improving security in Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger and parts of Kogi states.
Shaibu added that security had improved significantly in the South-East, while sustained operations against crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism had boosted Nigeria’s oil production in the South-South.
Describing the South-West as one of Nigeria’s most peaceful regions, he said the recent abduction in Oyo State was an isolated incident.
He further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the establishment of a new Nigerian Army Depot in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State, which, alongside existing depots in Zaria, Kaduna State, and Osogbo, Osun State, is expected to increase the Army’s annual recruitment and training capacity to about 28,000 personnel.
Shaibu also announced that the Nigerian Army had acquired additional armoured personnel carriers, mine-resistant vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles to strengthen ongoing operations, while troops continue to undergo specialised training both within and outside Nigeria to improve operational effectiveness.
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