The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has explained that the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State took 56 days because security agencies prioritised the safety of the victims over a hurried operation.
Speaking during a press briefing on Thursday, the police chief said authorities deliberately kept details of the rescue mission away from the public to avoid jeopardising the operation or exposing the hostages to danger.
The victims were abducted in May 2026 after suspected terrorists attacked two schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. They were eventually rescued after spending 56 days in captivity through a coordinated operation involving multiple security agencies.
Disu disclosed that the attackers fled with the victims in a vehicle belonging to one of the teachers before setting it ablaze at the entrance to the forest.
“They attacked two schools, abducted the pupils and their teachers, used the head teacher’s vehicle to escape, and set it on fire at the entrance to the forest. We didn’t know why they did that,” he said.
The IGP noted that the remote location of the communities complicated the rescue effort, explaining that the area had poor telecommunications coverage and limited security presence.
“There was virtually no communication network in the area, and the nearest police station was far away. There was only one access road leading to the affected communities,” Disu stated.
He said police officers, soldiers and local vigilantes immediately launched a search operation, adding that one security operative lost his life during the pursuit of the kidnappers.
“Police officers, soldiers and vigilantes all joined the operation. One of our personnel was shot while we were tracking the abductors. Many people never saw the sacrifices made during the operation,” he said.
According to him, the operation also involved aerial surveillance by helicopters belonging to the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Air Force, with security personnel carrying out round-the-clock searches.
“The police helicopter and the Nigerian Air Force helicopter were deployed, and the search continued day and night,” he added.
Disu said security agencies came under intense public criticism for not providing regular updates but insisted that maintaining secrecy was necessary to protect the lives of the abducted pupils and teachers.
“We could not come out to reveal our plans because doing so could have endangered the children. There was enormous pressure on us to act quickly, but we had to avoid any action that could result in collateral damage,” he said.
The Inspector-General added that security chiefs held several late-night meetings throughout the operation and deliberately restricted information, even within the security community, to ensure the mission remained confidential until the victims were safely rescued.
“We held meetings almost every night to review our strategy. Many things happened that we could not disclose because secrecy was critical to the success of the operation,” Disu said.
