Troops close in on forest hideout as search continues for abducted Oyo schoolchildren

Intensive military and security operations are underway in Oyo State as troops and intelligence operatives tighten the noose around kidnappers holding 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers hostage in parts of Oriire Local Government Area.

Security sources confirmed that operatives have encircled suspected hideouts within the National Park forest axis, where the victims abducted on June 15 are believed to be held. The coordinated operation, involving ground troops and other security agencies, is aimed at preventing the escape of the abductors while ensuring the safe rescue of the captives.

The victims were kidnapped during coordinated attacks on Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota and two other schools in Esiele and Alawusa communities, triggering nationwide concern and renewed debate over school security in rural areas.

Security Forces Intensify Pressure on Abductors

According to security sources familiar with the operation, the kidnappers are currently trapped within a heavily monitored forest zone, with escape routes reportedly sealed off by advancing troops.

The sustained military pressure is said to have significantly restricted the movement of the abductors and increased hopes of a possible rescue operation in the coming days.

However, sources also warned that the intensifying siege has triggered heightened tension within the kidnappers’ camp, leading to what officials described as “desperate and violent reactions” aimed at pressuring authorities.

One such incident reportedly included the killing of one of the abducted teachers, an act security officials believe was intended to intimidate authorities and disrupt ongoing rescue efforts.

Shifting Demands by Abductors

Initial reports indicated that the kidnappers had issued multiple demands, including the release of detained terrorist commanders before any negotiations for the release of the victims.

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Among those initially demanded were high-profile suspects linked to the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), including Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, also known as Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri. Both are currently in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) following their arrest in 2025.

However, security sources now suggest that the abductors have reportedly scaled down their earlier demands and are increasingly focusing on financial ransom as the security cordon around their hideout tightens.

Local Intelligence Points to Insider Link

Investigations have also revealed that community members have identified the alleged gang leader as an indigene of Oriire Local Government Area who once lived peacefully among residents before allegedly becoming radicalised and joining the Ansaru network.

The development has heightened concerns within affected communities, particularly given the area’s proximity to border corridors leading toward the Niger Republic and the Kainji axis, a terrain known for dense forests, difficult access routes, and weak communication network

Security Operations Expand Nationwide

Security agencies are also said to have acted on prior intelligence indicating planned attacks on schools in the region, prompting preventive closures of some educational institutions in vulnerable communities.

Officials say sustained military operations against terrorist groups across the country have forced insurgents affiliated with Ansaru, Boko Haram, and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) to abandon traditional strongholds and increasingly target remote civilian settlements.

Sources within the security establishment claim that significant gains have been recorded in recent months, including the neutralisation of about 168 high-profile terrorist commanders and the arrest of several others, while some fighters are believed to have fled across Nigeria’s borders.

A senior security officer, speaking anonymously, expressed optimism that ongoing operations would eventually succeed.

“The war against terrorism will be won. We will not relent in the ongoing offensive until these criminals are either eliminated or forced out of the country,” the officer said, adding that recent counterterrorism successes reflected growing pressure on insurgent networks.