Families, Northern leaders, opposition figures and security analysts demand nationwide intelligence-led rescue strategy after successful operation frees abducted Oyo pupils without ransom.
By Aminu Gana, Hassan Jinjiri, Bukar Goni
ABUJA, Nigeria — July 12, 2026
The successful rescue of 44 pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State has intensified nationwide calls for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to deploy similar intelligence-driven security operations to secure the freedom of hundreds of schoolchildren, women and other Nigerians still languishing in terrorist and bandit camps across northern Nigeria.
What began as nationwide celebration over the release of the Oyo victims has rapidly evolved into renewed scrutiny of the Federal Government’s counter-kidnapping strategy, with affected families, northern socio-political organisations, religious leaders, security experts and opposition politicians questioning why comparable rescue efforts have yet to produce similar results in Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara and other violence-prone states.
The growing demands followed Friday’s confirmation by security agencies that all pupils and teachers kidnapped during coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15 had regained their freedom after spending 56 days in captivity.
Security authorities attributed the breakthrough to a coordinated intelligence-led operation jointly executed by the Armed Forces, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force without the payment of ransom.
While the operation has been applauded as evidence that coordinated security intelligence can produce tangible results, it has also reopened difficult questions about the fate of hundreds of Nigerians who remain in captivity months after their abduction.
Oyo Rescue Becomes Benchmark for National Security Debate
The Oyo operation has increasingly become a reference point in Nigeria’s fight against mass abductions.
Security analysts argue that the successful collaboration among intelligence agencies demonstrates the effectiveness of joint operational planning when backed by accurate intelligence gathering, political commitment and coordinated execution.
However, the celebration has also exposed growing frustration among families whose loved ones remain in captivity, many of whom believe similar urgency has not been extended to their communities.
For many affected families across northern Nigeria, the question is no longer whether security agencies possess the capacity to conduct successful rescue missions—but whether equal operational priority is being given to every victim irrespective of geographical location.
Borno Families: ‘Our Children Must Not Be Forgotten’
Among those renewing their appeals are parents in Borno State, where dozens of schoolchildren remain in captivity following separate Boko Haram attacks on educational institutions in Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
On May 15, insurgents stormed Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School, abducting 42 pupils.
Weeks later, on June 29, terrorists again attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, kidnapping 36 students alongside a teacher.
Parents say they have received little information regarding ongoing rescue efforts.
Speaking on behalf of affected families, Ibrahim Millam, whose daughter Esther remains among those abducted, appealed to the Federal Government to extend the same operational commitment demonstrated in Oyo to Borno.
According to him, months of uncertainty have left families emotionally devastated while hope continues to diminish.
Community leader Sani Abdullahi described the situation as unbearable, saying repeated appeals to relevant authorities have produced assurances but few visible results.
Residents argue that prolonged silence surrounding the fate of the abducted students has compounded the trauma already inflicted by the attacks.
Northern Leaders Demand Equal Security Response
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on President Tinubu to intensify rescue efforts nationwide, insisting that the liberation of the Oyo victims should represent the beginning—not the end—of an aggressive national campaign against kidnappers.
Speaking on behalf of the organisation, National Publicity Secretary Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba congratulated the rescued pupils, their families and communities but urged the Federal Government to demonstrate equal commitment toward victims in Borno, Kaduna, Kwara, Zamfara and other affected states.
According to the ACF, government has a constitutional and moral obligation to ensure that no Nigerian remains abandoned in captivity.
Similarly, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) argued that successful rescue operations should not overshadow the government’s responsibility to prevent mass kidnappings in the first place.
Its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, questioned why schoolchildren continue to be abducted despite repeated government assurances on security improvements.
The forum maintained that preventing attacks should remain the primary measure of success rather than celebrating rescue operations after kidnappings have occurred.
Kwara Communities Ask: ‘If Oyo Could Be Rescued, Why Not Us?’
Attention has equally shifted to Kwara State, where relatives continue to await the rescue of approximately 176 women and children abducted during devastating terrorist attacks on Woro and neighbouring communities in Kaiama Local Government Area earlier this year.
The attacks reportedly left more than 200 people dead while homes, markets and public infrastructure were destroyed.
Community representatives say several months have passed with little visible progress despite the Federal Government’s deployment of additional military personnel and specialised tactical units.
Residents insist that the intelligence-led model used in Oyo should now be replicated to secure the release of those still being held by terrorists.
Religious leaders, including the Chief Imam of Al-Hikmah University, Dr. Sanusi Lafiagi, urged the Federal Government to prevent the Kwara tragedy from becoming another prolonged national security crisis similar to previous mass abduction cases.
Public affairs analysts further argued that sustained public advocacy and extensive media attention contributed significantly to maintaining pressure that ultimately culminated in the successful Oyo rescue.
Kaduna Families Fear Time Is Running Out
In Kaduna State, anxiety continues to deepen nearly three months after gunmen attacked worshippers during Easter Sunday services in Ariko Community, Kachia Local Government Area.
Community leaders say reports received from kidnappers suggest that some captives may have died due to hunger, illness and harsh conditions inside the camps.
Village Head Joshua Doka appealed for urgent intervention, revealing that kidnappers continue to demand an enormous ransom while communication remains limited to messages transmitted through the abductors.
Families fear that prolonged delays may further endanger the lives of those still in captivity.
Security Experts Advocate Intelligence-Led Nationwide Strategy
Security analysts believe the Oyo operation offers important lessons for Nigeria’s broader counter-kidnapping strategy.
Maiduguri-based analyst Abubakar Kareto described the rescue as proof that coordinated operations involving the military, police and intelligence agencies can achieve successful outcomes.
He recommended immediate replication of the model in Borno and other conflict zones while strengthening intelligence-sharing among federal, state and local security institutions.
Analysts also renewed calls for full implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative to improve security around vulnerable educational institutions across Nigeria.
ADC Warns Against Selective Rescue Operations
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomed the rescue of the Oyo pupils but cautioned against what it described as unequal national attention to kidnapping cases.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party argued that every Nigerian life deserves equal urgency regardless of location.
The party further maintained that government performance on security should ultimately be measured by its ability to prevent kidnappings rather than the number of rescue operations successfully conducted.
According to the ADC, sustainable security remains essential for economic development, investment attraction and restoration of public confidence.
Presidency: Every Nigerian Life Matters
Responding to growing public concerns, the Presidency dismissed suggestions of regional bias.
President Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said the President has directed security and intelligence agencies to secure the release of every Nigerian still being held by kidnappers across the federation.
According to the Presidency, security agencies continue to conduct rescue operations daily while military offensives have resulted in the liberation of communities, rescue of abducted victims and elimination of terrorists and bandits in several parts of the country.
Ajayi stressed that the administration places equal value on every Nigerian life irrespective of geographical location.
A Broader Test of Nigeria’s Security Architecture
Beyond the celebration surrounding the Oyo rescue lies a broader national conversation about the effectiveness, consistency and equity of Nigeria’s security response to mass kidnappings.
Security experts note that while intelligence-led operations have demonstrated success, sustainable victory against kidnapping will depend on improved intelligence gathering, stronger inter-agency coordination, proactive policing, better protection of vulnerable communities and increased investment in preventive security infrastructure.
For families still awaiting the return of their loved ones, however, policy debates remain secondary.
Their immediate concern is seeing the same urgency, operational commitment and political determination that secured freedom for the Oyo schoolchildren extended to every Nigerian still trapped in terrorist camps.
The successful rescue of the abducted Oyo pupils has restored hope that intelligence-driven security operations can produce meaningful results against kidnapping networks.
Yet the operation has simultaneously intensified demands for a more balanced and nationwide rescue strategy that leaves no victim behind.
As pressure mounts on the Federal Government, the coming weeks may determine whether the Oyo operation becomes an isolated success story or the foundation for a comprehensive national strategy aimed at ending one of Nigeria’s most persistent security challenges.
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