Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has disclosed that the terrorists holding dozens of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State have threatened to kill their captives should security forces launch a direct military assault on their hideout.
The minister said the Federal Government was pursuing a carefully coordinated rescue operation to ensure the safe release of the victims without endangering their lives, stressing that military authorities were balancing the need for decisive action with the safety of the hostages.
According to Badaru, the kidnappers had sent messages warning that any attempt by troops to advance toward their location would result in the execution of the schoolchildren and their teachers.
“They said if troops move closer, they will kill the children,” the minister said, explaining that the threat had informed the government’s cautious approach to the ongoing operation.
The victims 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted on May 15 during coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
The incident sparked nationwide outrage and renewed concerns over the spread of kidnapping and terrorism into Nigeria’s South-West.
Security sources, however, say the rescue effort has recorded significant breakthroughs.
Intelligence operatives have reportedly identified members of the kidnapping syndicate and traced several of their collaborators across the country, increasing pressure on the abductors.
The development is believed to have unsettled the terrorists, who are now under intense surveillance by a joint security team.
Earlier, the Waidi Shaibu expressed confidence that the victims would soon regain their freedom, assuring Nigerians that troops were making “tremendous progress” in the rescue mission.
“Operations are currently ongoing to rescue those children abducted in Oyo State, and we are making tremendous progress,” the Army Chief said during an interaction with media executives at the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.
Retired military officers have also backed the intelligence-driven strategy being adopted by security agencies, arguing that dismantling the kidnappers’ support network could force the criminals to release the hostages without exposing them to greater danger.
A retired Major General, Eniola Gbadamosi, said identifying the gang’s associates represented “a major operational advantage,” but cautioned that the overriding priority should remain the safe return of the pupils and teachers.
The abduction remains one of the most significant security incidents recorded in the South-West this year, with the Federal Government insisting that ongoing military, intelligence and law enforcement operations will continue until all the captives are rescued unharmed.
