Key facts
- 39 schoolchildren and six teachers have been rescued after being kidnapped in Oyo state.
- The hostages were abducted on May 15 by armed men targeting schools.
- One teacher was killed during the nearly two-month captivity.
- Security forces arrested eight kidnappers.
- President Bola Tinubu pledged to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In Nigeria's southwestern Oyo state, security forces have successfully rescued 39 schoolchildren and six teachers who were abducted nearly two months prior. The hostages were taken on May 15 when armed individuals targeted multiple schools in the Oriire district. During their captivity, one of the abducted teachers was killed.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announced the rescue, stating that eight kidnappers have been apprehended and are currently in custody. President Bola Tinubu, in a statement, affirmed his administration's commitment to ensuring justice for the rescued children and teachers, as well as for the teacher who was "gruesomely murdered" by the terrorists.
Mass kidnappings by armed groups have become a significant security concern in Nigeria in recent years. Criminal gangs exploit the country's weak security infrastructure and porous borders to target various populations for ransom payments. While schools are frequent targets, such attacks are less common in the southwestern region of the country.