Boko Haram terrorists who abducted pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are believed to have been trapped inside the Oyo National Park.
The pupils and teachers were abducted on May 15, 2026 from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; L.A. Primary School; and Community Grammar School, Esiele and no fewer than 42 pupils and teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks.
This is coming 36 days after the May 15, attacks just as the terrorists have intensified efforts to frustrate the rescue operation by planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and frequently changing locations within the forest.
It was gathered that despite the pressure being mounted by the troops and other security agencies specifically deployed to the forest, the terrorists have continued to resist rescue efforts.
The terrorists have reportedly demanded the release of two of their commanders namely, Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, also known as Mallam Mamuda in exchange for the abducted pupils and teachers.
However, the government has insisted that it will not negotiate with the terrorists, thus vowed to rescue the abducted pupils and teachers.
Security sources said that all possible exit routes from the forest had been effectively manned by soldiers, thereby making it difficult for the terrorists to move their victims out.
It was also gathered that the troops are working out plans on how to flush out the terrorists even as they come under attack on two occasions, resulting in the deaths of three personnel.
It was also gathered that the difficult terrain of the forest and the tactics being adopted by the terrorists have slowed down the operation time frame as the terrorists have also planted IEDs in different locations in the forest.
A security source said; “Our men are exploring professional methods to navigate the difficult areas. There have been shootouts on two occasions. The terrorists change location almost every day to evade capture.
“They know that they are being monitored and that security operatives are everywhere. So, they move their victims from one place to another. But they can’t leave the forest. They have been surrounded,” the source stated.
It was also gathered that the terrorists who are aware that they have been surrounded are using the victims as human shields, a development that has made the security forces to adopt other strategies in the rescue operations.
According to the security source; “They’re using their victims as shields, and we don’t want a situation where they would begin to kill those children
“The abductors’ tactics differed from those of other criminal groups, complicating efforts to track and intercept them. They have reinforced and are over 200 in the location where they are keeping the victims.
“A forced penetration might result in catastrophic collateral damage. If we want to penetrate, and there is an exchange of fire, it could hit the victims, or they kill the victims themselves,” the source explained.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government has said that it will not disclose any information on the rescue efforts other than what is officially authorised.
The Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade said the government was being very careful with information so as not to jeopardise the lives of the abducted teachers and pupils.
