Nigerian security agencies have secured the unconditional release of children and their teachers kidnapped by Ansaru terrorists in Oyo State. The rescue, concluded at about 6pm on 9 July 2026, followed a three-week intelligence-led operation by a Joint Inter-Agency Task Force set up on the President’s directive after the abduction on 15 May 2026. The force comprised the Army, Navy, Air Force, and support from NPF, DSS, NIA, DIA and NSCDC, coordinated by the GOC 2 Division.
Troops advanced into the Oyo National Forest from multiple fronts, cutting off the terrorists’ escape routes and supported by ISR from ONSA and air cover from the NAF and NPF. Key terrorist infrastructure including communication hubs and logistics dumps were destroyed without harm to the hostages. Parallel operations also targeted Ansaru’s support network, leading to arrests of informants and associates across several states and triggering defections within the group.
Under mounting pressure and with their command structure weakened, the terrorists released the victims without conditions. The children and teachers are receiving medical and psychosocial care before being handed to the Oyo State Government for reunion with families. Defence sources hailed the mission as a successful example of joint, intelligence-driven operations that combined force and strategy to dismantle the terrorists and secure the safe return of the abducted.
