Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, has reassured Nigerians that rescue operations are still ongoing and that military troops are making significant progress towards the rescue of 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted in Oyo State.
Shaibu gave the reassurance during an interactive session with media executives on Saturday in Port Harcourt as part of activities marking the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.
Recall that suspected terrorists abducted the victims on May 15 from three schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo.
He said, “Operations are currently ongoing to rescue those children abducted in Oyo State, and we are making tremendous progress.”
He expressed optimism that the ongoing operation would safely rescue the victims and reunite them with their families. Shaibu affirmed that the Nigerian Army actively maintains operations across all six geopolitical zones to counter emerging security threats.
Focusing on the Northeast, he stated that troops serving under Operation Hadin Kai continue to secure notable victories against terrorists and militants.
“Operation Hadin Kai has neutralised over 1,872 insurgents, while many terrorists have surrendered to troops,” he said.
Additionally, Shaibu announced that the Federal Government has approved measures to expand military personnel to counter emerging security threats. He also revealed that Nigeria now boasts three army depots following President Bola Tinubu’s authorization of a new facility in Amasiri-Edda, Ebonyi.
Read Also: Nigeria’s Security Crisis Through the Eyes of Captive Schoolchildren
Backstory…
The latest assurance by the Chief of Army Staff comes weeks after pupils from an Oyo State school were abducted by gunmen, sparking widespread outrage and sustained calls for their immediate rescue.
Since the incident, both the Oyo State Government and military authorities have repeatedly assured Nigerians that efforts were underway to locate the victims and secure their safe release.
Governor Seyi Makinde has on several occasions appealed for calm, insisting that security agencies were working around the clock and urging residents not to jeopardise ongoing operations by spreading unverified information.
As the days stretched into weeks without a rescue, frustration grew among parents, residents and civil society groups, who staged protests in parts of Oyo State and across the country, demanding stronger action from the authorities.
The kidnappers further heightened public anxiety by releasing multiple videos purportedly showing the school’s principal in captivity, with the recordings used to press their demands and demonstrate that the hostages remained in their custody.
The repeated circulation of the videos has intensified pressure on the Federal Government and security agencies, prompting the latest update from the Army Chief the most significant official reassurance since the abduction.
