Security Expert Explains Why “Rescue” and “Release” Are Not Mutually Exclusive in Complex Hostage Operations
The rescue of pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has sparked nationwide debate over how the victims regained their freedom after spending 56 days in captivity.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, when armed terrorists attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and LA Primary School, taking dozens of pupils and teachers into captivity.
Following the abduction, a joint security operation involving the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies under the coordination of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was launched to locate and rescue the victims.
Two teachers reportedly lost their lives during the period of captivity, while the remaining victims were eventually recovered and evacuated to Ibadan for medical examinations, security debriefing and rehabilitation before being handed over to the Oyo State Government.
The rescued pupils and teachers were subsequently admitted to the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, for comprehensive medical treatment, trauma counselling and psychological evaluation before being reunited with their families.
The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Olawale Olakulehin, disclosed that 31 rescued children had been certified medically fit and discharged, while eight others remained under medical observation. Doctors also discovered a congenital heart defect in one of the children during routine examinations.
While the Federal Government maintained that the victims were rescued through an intelligence-led security operation without the payment of ransom, questions emerged over whether the operation involved negotiations with the abductors.
Reacting to the controversy, security analyst Makama Zagazola said the terms “rescue” and “release” are not necessarily contradictory in hostage operations.
According to him, successful hostage rescue missions often involve intelligence gathering, surveillance, communication, sustained military pressure and, where necessary, negotiations aimed at securing the safe recovery of victims without exposing them to unnecessary danger.
He explained that security agencies had reportedly identified the kidnappers’ location, surrounded the forest, deployed intelligence assets and restricted the criminals’ movement while avoiding a direct assault that could have endangered the children.
Zagazola stressed that no credible evidence supports claims circulating on social media that the kidnapping was staged, urging the public to rely on verified facts rather than speculation.
He also described the operation as one of the most coordinated hostage rescue missions in recent years, involving the Office of the National Security Adviser, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force under a unified operational structure.
According to the analyst, the most important outcome remains that dozens of innocent schoolchildren and teachers were safely returned alive after weeks in captivity.
