Oyo Kidnappers Drop Demands, Shift Focus to Ransom as Troops Tighten Siege, Exposing More of Tinubu’s Security Failure

The terrorists holding 39 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers from Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota and Alawusa communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have dropped some of their initial demands and are now primarily focused on securing ransom payments, security sources have disclosed.

The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, when terrorists attacked three schools in the area. The kidnappers had initially presented four major demands, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, provision of two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related laws. Among those whose release was demanded are Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri. Both are identified as senior members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, and were arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services last year.

According to multiple security sources familiar with the operation, the terrorists have been effectively contained within the forest, with security operatives blocking possible escape routes and restricting their movement with the hostages. Sources further revealed that, under mounting pressure and facing the possibility of capture, the terrorists recently killed one of the abducted teachers, allegedly in an attempt to force authorities to halt the ongoing rescue operation. However, as security forces continue to intensify operations around the hideout, the kidnappers have reportedly abandoned some of their earlier demands and are now largely concentrating on obtaining ransom payments.

Investigations indicate that the leader of the kidnapping gang is an indigene of Oriire Local Government Area who previously lived among residents before allegedly becoming radicalised by the Ansaru terrorist group. The affected communities are located near Nigeria’s border corridor leading towards the Niger Republic and the Kainji axis, an area characterised by difficult terrain and limited communication networks.

President Bola Tinubu has reassured residents of Oyo State that the Federal Government is intensifying efforts to tackle insecurity and secure the release of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers. Tinubu also assured that every realistic measure, including international collaboration, is being taken to ensure the safe return of the victims. He approved the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards in Oyo State as part of measures to strengthen security following the abduction.

However, more than a month after the abduction, the victims remain in captivity, and one teacher has been killed. The kidnappers have not been defeated, and the government’s response has been widely condemned as inadequate.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Tinubu administration of attempting to transfer responsibility for insecurity and worsening economic conditions to Nigerians and the media. He said the abduction was yet another tragic reminder that under the Tinubu administration, insecurity had ceased to be an emergency and had become a way of life. “A government that cannot protect schoolchildren has failed one of the most basic tests of leadership,” Atiku said. “A government that responds to abductions with rice instead of rescue operations sends a dangerous signal that it has run out of ideas.”

Peter Obi, former Labour Party presidential candidate, has also criticised the Federal Government’s response, saying, “I don’t think the Nigerian government is showing enough commitment to the rescue of the kidnapped Oyo school children and teachers, and it is very worrisome.”

A lawmaker condemned the government’s failure to rescue the schoolchildren and teachers, noting that while the president was traveling to nearby Lagos, he failed to visit Oyo State to directly engage with the crisis or comfort the victims’ families. According to the lawmaker, Nigeria is facing an unprecedented wave of killings, kidnappings, and deep economic hardships, alongside political maneuvers.

Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a prominent opposition figure, said President Tinubu has no handle on escalating violence and that every part of Nigeria is now vulnerable to insecurity. He said the growing frequency of abductions, including those involving schoolchildren, highlights what he described as a collapse in the government’s ability to guarantee the safety of citizens.

A retired general also weighed in, saying, “Every school burned by terrorists is an attack on Nigeria’s future. Every child abducted is a reminder of state failure. Every citizen killed or left in captivity is an indictment of a security architecture that is no longer working.”

Paul Ibe, an aide to Atiku, went further, calling Tinubu incompetent and clueless, saying, “Nigeria is a very complex country, and to be able to govern this country, you need to be wired.” He cited recent attacks in several states as evidence that the government has failed to adequately protect citizens.

Security sources disclosed that intelligence reports had earlier uncovered plans by terrorists to attack schools in the area, prompting preventive measures, including the temporary closure of some schools. The sources added that sustained military offensives against terrorist groups across the country have forced many insurgents to abandon their traditional strongholds and increasingly target vulnerable civilian communities.

In recent months, security agencies have recorded significant successes against members of Ansaru, Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, aided by intelligence provided by the DSS. According to the sources, no fewer than 168 high-profile terrorist commanders have been neutralised in recent operations, while several others have been arrested. Many insurgents are also believed to have fled into neighbouring countries.

A senior security officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed confidence that ongoing military operations would eventually defeat terrorist groups operating in the country. “The war against terrorism will be won. We will not relent in the ongoing offensive until these criminals are either eliminated or forced out of the country. The signs of victory are already becoming evident,” the officer said.

But for the families of the 46 abducted victims, including the one already killed, these assurances ring hollow. More than a month after the abduction, the children and teachers remain in captivity. The kidnappers have shifted their demands, but they have not been defeated. And the government that swore to protect its citizens has offered little more than promises and platitudes.

Under Tinubu’s watch, insecurity has not only persisted but has escalated. Schoolchildren are no longer safe in their classrooms. Teachers are being killed in captivity. And the president, rather than demonstrating leadership, has offered reassurances that ring increasingly hollow with each passing day. The question Nigerians are asking is simple: if the government cannot protect its children, what exactly is it protecting?

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