‘We Lost Men, But We Brought Them Home’: GOC 2 Division Reveals Costly Rescue of Abducted Oyo Pupils, Teachers

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, has disclosed that the rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State was the outcome of a complex, intelligence-driven military operation involving multiple security agencies that lasted for more than 56 days.

Speaking during the formal handover of the rescued schoolchildren, teachers and the school principal to the Oyo State Government, the GOC recounted how troops launched an immediate rescue operation after the abduction on 15 May 2026.

According to him, soldiers rushed from nearby formations to the scene shortly after receiving reports of the incident, but the abductors had already disappeared deep into the forest.

He said, “On 15th May 2026, at about 10:00 a.m., we were conducting an event in the barracks when information got to us. We immediately mobilised troops from nearby locations, and my team moved from the barracks at top speed, but unfortunately, the terrorists had already gone deep into the forest.”

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He said search teams, supported by local hunters, vigilantes, drones and the Nigerian Air Force, initially struggled because of the dense forest, where aerial surveillance was severely limited.

“There are places in that forest where even the rays of sunlight cannot penetrate. The drones flew, the Air Force conducted surveillance, but nothing was visible. We had to insist on ground operations,” Nnebeife added.

Major General Nnebeife revealed that the rescue mission came at a high cost, with the military losing an officer and a soldier during the operation, while several others sustained injuries.

“It was during one of those operations that we lost an officer and a soldier. Some others were wounded, including one who suffered a serious gunshot injury that left him with a broken arm.”

He explained that the operation later expanded into a coordinated national security mission involving the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Defence Headquarters Special Forces, the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Operation Safe Haven troops, local vigilantes and Amotekun operatives.

The GOC said the military deliberately refused to negotiate with the kidnappers, insisting instead on dismantling the criminal network responsible for the abduction.

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“We will never yield to terrorists’ requests. We will not, and we will never do that.”

According to him, the military focused on identifying the terrorist leaders behind the attack, disrupting their logistics network and arresting members of the syndicate and their collaborators across different parts of the country.

He disclosed that blocking the group’s major supply route eventually forced the kidnappers to release the victims unconditionally.

“The operation focused on identifying the terrorist kingpins, dismantling their network and cutting off their logistics. When we blocked their major logistics hub, they were eventually willing to release them unconditionally.”

The GOC, however, stressed that the military’s mission against the criminal group was far from over.

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“We told them it was not just about releasing the victims. We must see to the end of the terrorists operating in that region and indeed across the country.”

Major General Nnebeife said the rescued victims were recovered on 10 July, adding that two teachers died while in captivity.

He paid tribute to the fallen military personnel, noting that the rescued victims were recovered on the same day the slain officer was buried.

“The morning we buried the officer, that same evening, we finally rescued them. We salute their ultimate sacrifice. Their bravery will never be forgotten,” Nnebeife added.

The Army commander expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for providing strategic direction and resources throughout the operation.

The GOC continued, “The President was receiving daily operational updates. His strategic guidance, support and resources made this operation a success.”

He also commended Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for his consistent support, dismissing claims that the governor was indifferent during the rescue efforts.

“Contrary to what some media reports suggested, the governor kept calling to know the progress of the operation. I can personally testify that he was fully involved and supportive of all the security agencies,” he said.

The GOC further acknowledged the support of the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the DSS, the National Intelligence Agency, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, medical personnel and local security volunteers who participated in the operation.

He revealed that intelligence gathered through suspects arrested by the police significantly aided the rescue mission.

“The Commissioner of Police helped us arrest suspects. Some were airlifted by helicopter directly into the forest to provide relevant intelligence on the terrorists’ camps,” Nnebeife added.

Major General Nnebeife also thanked the media and Nigerians for sustaining public attention on the abduction, saying the pressure helped keep the operation in focus.

“We sincerely thank the media and the entire Nigerian people. Thank you for the pressure. Some of that pressure was necessary. While you were putting pressure on us, we were not sleeping,” the GOC said.

He urged Nigerians to continue supporting security agencies with timely intelligence, stressing that effective security requires collaboration between security operatives and the public.

“There can be no security if the people are not part of it. We urge Nigerians to continue providing relevant information that will help security agencies. We also need to address the issue of collaborators among some vigilantes and hunters because our investigation revealed there was collaboration from some individuals,” Nnebeife added.