Rescued children in Oyo Nigeria kidnapping. Photo by: Presidency Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria: Dozens of schoolchildren kidnapped during a rare attack in southwestern Nigeria 56 days ago have been rescued, the presidency said on Friday.
The raid on schools in Esiele and Yawota -- two agrarian communities that sit on the edge of the vast Old Oyo National Park -- quickly became a hot-button issue, prompting protests, a month-long statewide teachers' strike and high-profile condemnation.
"I am profoundly happy that our security forces successfully rescued the abducted pupils and teachers from Orire, Ogbomoso in Oyo State today after a military, police and intelligence-driven operation that neutralised some of the terrorists that perpetrated the evil act and the arrest of eight of them," President Bola Tinubu said in a statement.
His spokesman Bayo Onanuga first broke the news on X in which he also posted pictures of some the children.
Southwest Nigeria has long been considered one of the safest regions in a country struggling with multiple security crises.
Oyo is one of Nigeria's most populous states, and its capital, Ibadan, is a major education hub.
Onanuga said the "terrorists" had demanded the release of one of their members who is being prosecuted by the authorities.
One of the teachers thanked Tinubu in a video shared by the president's spokesman and said "We understand your commitment to our safety and we appreciate all you did for us".
She added: "security operatives, ...tried so much and that is why we are still alive right now."
'No quid pro quo'
Defence Minister Christopher Musa said this week that the kidnappers were trying to use the students as "leverage" with the Nigerian government, which is holding some of their commanders.
Musa said that the kidnappers threatened to kill their hostages if security forces moved in on them.
It remains unclear how their release was secured but Onanuga said there "was no quid pro quo in the rescue".
