President Tinubu: We Tracked, Arrested Kidnappers’ Families, Rejected Ransom in Oyo School Abduction

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that the Federal Government refused to negotiate with kidnappers or pay ransom during the rescue of pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, insisting that security forces relied on intelligence and strategic operations to secure their release.

Speaking on Thursday while receiving the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and other traditional rulers from Oyo State at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, the President said the abductors demanded money and the release of detained members of their gang, but the government rejected the conditions.

Tinubu disclosed that security agencies tracked the criminals through intelligence, including efforts targeting their families and communities, leading to the successful rescue of the victims after 56 days in captivity without the payment of ransom.

He commended the Armed Forces for what he described as a highly successful intelligence-led operation and urged Nigerians to continue supporting security personnel with credible information.

The President said the Oriire incident informed his decision to expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions to improve response time, strengthen operational capacity and enhance the fight against terrorism and banditry across the country.

He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to establishing state police with safeguards against abuse, while announcing plans to retrain and equip forest guards to actively combat criminal activities in forests rather than limiting them to wildlife protection.

Tinubu attributed the growing security challenges in Nigeria partly to instability in neighbouring Sahel countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, noting that foreign elements have contributed to the worsening insecurity.

He urged traditional rulers to encourage residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious movements and support the country’s intelligence network to improve security.

The President further called on state governments to channel increased federal allocations into road construction, saying improved road networks would boost economic development and make remote communities more accessible to security agencies.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, said the delegation visited the President to appreciate his administration and the Armed Forces for securing the release of the Oriire abductees.

He also thanked the Federal Government for ongoing and proposed federal road projects linking Oyo State with neighbouring states, expressing confidence that the projects would improve connectivity, security and economic activities across the region.

The Oriire school abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when gunmen attacked three schools in Esiele and Yawota communities, abducting about 39 pupils and seven teachers. One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was killed during the attack. The victims were rescued on July 10 following an intelligence-driven operation that led to the arrest of eight suspects and the neutralisation of several others, without the payment of ransom.