Pupils and teachers abducted from Orire Local Government Area in Oyo State have been released by their captors, according to multiple Nigerian outlets. The news is announced publicly on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, through a post on X. Reports state that the victims had been held for more than 50 days in captivity.
Premium Times adds that the release follows months of security operations involving agencies including the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigerian Army, and other security units.
Nigerian Eye reports that a video obtained by the outlet shows the freed children and a school head thanking the President and security operatives. Other details around the circumstances of the release, including whether ransom was paid, remain unclear as of the latest reporting. The abduction is described as part of recent seizures from schools in the area, which had triggered widespread concern and calls for the victims’ safe return.
The freed victims’ families and residents receive the development as a relief while further information is awaited.
