Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has assured that his administration has taken full responsibility for the welfare of the teachers and pupils rescued after spending 56 days in the custody of kidnappers, pledging comprehensive medical, psychological and educational support until they fully recover.
The governor made the commitment on Monday during the formal handover of the rescued victims by the Nigerian military to the Oyo State Government at the Government House in Ibadan.
Makinde said the state would ensure that the traumatic experience does not derail the education of the affected pupils or the careers of the teachers, adding that immediate interventions would be coordinated with the management of the affected schools.
Expressing appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and the nation’s security agencies for their coordinated efforts that led to the successful rescue operation, the governor described the outcome as a major relief for the state.
He said, “On behalf of the government and the good people of Oyo State, I want to sincerely thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the support given to ensure the success of this operation. I also appreciate the leadership of all the security agencies in Nigeria.
“Quite frankly, I am still overwhelmed because incidents like this have happened in different parts of the country, but when it happened in Oyo State, the response was different. All the security agencies worked together with one goal—to secure the safe return of the teachers and the pupils.
“I can only thank Almighty God for His grace over our state. I have been governor for over seven years, and this is the first time I have witnessed an incident like this. It has never happened before, and I sincerely pray it will be the last time we experience anything like this.
“To the teachers and the pupils, I know it will be a long road to recovery. What you went through during those 56 days cannot simply be erased. However, I want to assure you that although the Baptist school involved is not a government-owned school, we will engage with its management to determine the best way forward.
“Let me assure both the teachers and the pupils from that school that the Oyo State Government will do everything possible to ensure there is no disruption to your careers as teachers and no interruption to the education of the affected pupils. We will continue to support you throughout this recovery period.
“The Chief Medical Director has briefed me on the progress being made by his team. They still need to carry out a few more assessments, and I believe another 24 to 48 hours of medical observation will be sufficient before you are discharged.
“Parents will be allowed access to their children, but we want to ensure that everyone is medically fit before they are reunited with their families. We do not want any complications after everything you have been through. We want to be certain that you are healthy and that adequate support is available to help you through this difficult transition back home.
“So, on behalf of the people of Oyo State, we now officially take responsibility for the rescued teachers and pupils. We will provide every necessary assistance and support to help you recover fully.”
Earlier, the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Maj. Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife, attributed the success of the operation to sustained collaboration among security agencies and the directives received from the nation’s leadership.
According to him, “The security forces pursued the abductors from day one, but the captors had moved deep into the forest,”** adding that **“the operation, which resulted in the loss of personnel, later paid off after 56 days.”
Speaking with journalists after the ceremony, the principal of Community High School, Oriire, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, recounted the traumatic experience endured by the victims while in captivity.
She disclosed that one of the slain teachers, Mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun, was murdered by the kidnappers to intimidate security agencies and pressure the government.
“The reason the kidnappers killed one of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was to scare away the security agencies and to send a clear message to the government that they meant business,” she said.
Alamu also narrated the arduous journey the victims were forced to undertake immediately after their abduction.
“When we were taken, my car was used to convey us to a point. That was where we met the primary school pupils and their teacher. We then had to walk for about one hour. They brought bicycles and motorcycles—about 10 of them—and we were all crammed together. We rode for about four hours through uncharted paths, but they knew their way,” she recalled.
The principal admitted that returning to her rural posting after the ordeal would not be easy.
She said, “Going to the rural area will take the grace of God. I have worked for 28 years and I have four years left. With time, maybe I can get over it. But going that far, the distance between that place and Ogbomoso is much, so I sacrifice a lot when it comes to transportation. Now, coupled with this, I don’t know what will happen for now.”
The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, when armed bandits invaded three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle communities of Oriire Local Government Area, taking away dozens of pupils and teachers.
Following weeks of coordinated intelligence-driven operations by security agencies, the captives were rescued on July 10 and subsequently placed under medical observation before being officially transferred to the Oyo State Government.
The handover ceremony was attended by Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, Commissioner of Police Abimbola Olugbenga, heads of military and paramilitary formations, the Director of the Department of State Services, senior government officials, members of the State Executive Council, and the Chief Medical Director of the 2 Division Medical Services and Hospital, among other dignitaries.
(Ripples)