Tinubu: Intelligence, Not Ransom, Secured Release of Oriire School Victims
President Bola Tinubu has disclosed that the Federal Government tracked the families and communities of the kidnappers behind the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, maintaining that no ransom was paid and no negotiations were held with the criminals before the victims were rescued.
The President made the revelation on Thursday while receiving a delegation of Oyo State traditional rulers, led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Speaking publicly for the first time since the victims regained their freedom on July 10, Tinubu said the kidnappers had demanded ransom and the release of detained gang members as conditions for freeing the hostages, but the government rejected both requests.
According to the President, the administration remained firm against negotiating with criminals, stressing that security agencies instead intensified intelligence operations by tracing the kidnappers to their families and communities.
“We refused to negotiate for ransom. These criminals wanted us to release members of their gang already in detention, in addition to demanding money. We said no deal. We will not negotiate with criminals,” Tinubu stated.
He explained that the intelligence-driven rescue mission, supported by the military’s understanding of the forest terrain, became a major turning point in the government’s security strategy.
Tinubu said the experience influenced the Federal Government’s decision to expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions to improve response time and strengthen operations against terrorism and banditry across the country.
He also reaffirmed plans to establish state police with safeguards to prevent abuse, while announcing that forest guards would be retrained and equipped to tackle criminal groups operating in forested areas.
The President linked Nigeria’s security challenges to instability in neighbouring Sahel countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, noting that many of those involved in violent attacks were foreign elements.
He urged traditional rulers to work closely with security agencies by providing credible intelligence on suspicious individuals and activities within their communities.
Tinubu further advised state governors to prioritise the construction of road networks instead of embarking on unnecessary flyover projects, arguing that better road infrastructure would boost economic activities and improve access for security agencies to remote areas.
The President also commended the armed forces for successfully rescuing the abducted pupils and teachers, urging Nigerians to appreciate security personnel for their sacrifices in protecting the country.
Earlier, Oba Ladoja said the Oyo traditional rulers visited the President to express appreciation to him and the armed forces for securing the release of the abductees after 56 days in captivity.
The monarch also praised the Federal Government for ongoing and proposed road projects in Oyo State, including the dualisation of the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode, Ogbomoso-Ilorin and Badagry-Sokoto highways, describing them as vital to economic growth and regional connectivity.
The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, when gunmen attacked three schools in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, killing mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun and taking about 39 pupils and seven teachers hostage. They were rescued on July 10 during an intelligence-led operation in which eight suspects were arrested and several others neutralised without the payment of ransom.
