Army Makes Headway in Efforts to Rescue Abducted Oyo Pupils, Teachers – COAS

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, says troops are making significant progress in efforts to rescue the 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State.

Shaibu expressed optimism that the victims would soon regain their freedom, assuring that military operations to secure their release were ongoing.

The Army Chief spoke on Saturday during an interactive session with media executives in Port Harcourt as part of activities marking the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.

The victims were kidnapped on May 15 after gunmen attacked three schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

“Operations are currently ongoing to rescue those children abducted in Oyo State, and we are making tremendous progress,” Shaibu said.

He expressed confidence that the operation would end successfully and reunite the pupils and their teachers with their families.

Beyond the Oyo rescue mission, the COAS said the Nigerian Army had continued to record gains in various operations across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

He noted that troops under Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East had sustained pressure on insurgents, leading to the neutralisation of more than 1,800 terrorists.

Shaibu also disclosed that troops, working with partners from the United States, recently eliminated a senior commander of the Islamic State, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki.

According to him, the operation has also compelled many insurgents to surrender, while improved security has enabled displaced persons to return to their communities.

He cited the recent closure of the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Bama, Borno State, as evidence of the improving security situation in the region.

In the North-West, Shaibu said Operation Fansan Yamma had continued to weaken bandit groups through sustained offensives, resulting in the recovery of arms and the elimination of several criminal elements.

He added that Operations Enduring Peace, Whirl Stroke and the newly established Operation Savannah Shield had strengthened security across Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger and parts of Kogi states.

Speaking on the South-East, the Army Chief said the security situation had improved considerably, noting that there were no major security disruptions during the last Christmas celebrations.

He also attributed the rise in Nigeria’s oil production to military operations against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering in the South-South.

Describing the South-West as one of the country’s most peaceful regions, Shaibu said the recent school abduction in Oyo remained an isolated incident that security forces were working hard to resolve.

On efforts to strengthen the military, the COAS disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the establishment of a new Nigerian Army Depot in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi State.

He said the new facility, alongside the existing depots in Zaria, Kaduna State, and Osogbo, Osun State, would boost recruitment and training capacity to 28,000 personnel.

“I recently directed the recruitment of 28,000 young Nigerians to enhance manpower for our various operations across the country,” he said.

Shaibu revealed that the Zaria depot had already graduated 6,000 soldiers, while the Osogbo depot had produced 5,000 personnel. The new depot in Ebonyi, he added, would soon graduate another 3,000 recruits.

He also said the Army had reviewed its training curriculum to place greater emphasis on marksmanship, counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.

According to him, recruits now undergo about 11 months of intensive military training, while the military has acquired additional armoured personnel carriers, mine-resistant vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles to enhance operational effectiveness.