Army: How We Rescued 44 Abducted Pupils, Teachers

. Presidency, Atiku in fresh row over release of victims

. Former VP accused of silence after victims regain freedom

. Presidency hails Obi for calling for thanksgiving

. Atiku denies allegation of silence

. NGF hails rescue, Makinde to brief Nigerians on what transpired

Deji Elumoye, Chuks Okocha in Abuja, and Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan 

 The Nigerian Army has revealed that the 44 pupils and teachers abducted by terrorists of Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) in Oyo State were rescued following a sustained intelligence-led joint security operation

 This is just as the Presidency and the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday engaged in a war of words over the former vice president’s alleged failure to rejoice with the federal government several hours after the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.

While the Presidency accused Atiku of silence for several hours after the victims regained their freedom, it praised the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for calling for a thanksgiving to celebrate the rescue operation.

But in a swift response, Atiku who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has dismissed the Presidency’s claim, describing the allegation as a reckless distortion of facts that collapsed under the weight of documentary evidence.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has welcomed the successful rescue of the pupils and their teachers, describing the development as a source of joy and relief.

However, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, yesterday said he would next week formally brief the people of the state and the nation at large on what exactly transpired during the rescue of the pupils and their teachers from captivity.

A statement issued yesterday by the spokesperson for 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Lt. Col. Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, said the rescue operation lasted for more than one month and targeted the kidnappers’ network and hideouts in the Old Oyo National Park and other locations across the country.

He said the operation, coordinated by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Maj. Gen. C.R. Nnebeife, on Friday, July 10, involved special units from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), particularly the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) the Defence Headquarters, Special Forces of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as local vigilantes, hunters and Amotekun operatives.

According to Danjuma, the coordinated operation led to multiple arrests in Oyo State and several other states, effectively dismantling the kidnappers’ network.

“These arrests completely disorganized the group, exerted overwhelming pressure on them and ultimately led the terrorist group to release the pupils and teachers unconditionally. Further operations will be conducted,” he said.

He explained that the operation was carefully planned and executed to avoid collateral damage and ensure the safe rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers.

 “However, there were some casualties on the part of the security forces,” he added, without providing further details.

Danjuma said the rescued victims are receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital and will be handed over to the Oyo State Government for reunification with their families.

He said the GOC expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his strategic guidance, support and the resources provided, which contributed to the success of the operation.

The GOC also commended Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the people of the state for their unwavering support to security agencies throughout the operation.

He further applauded all the participating security agencies for their resilience, professionalism and commitment to the successful rescue mission.

Presidency, Atiku in Fresh Row over Release of Abducted Victims

Meanwhile, the Presidency and Atiku yesterday engaged in a war of words over the former vice president’s alleged failure to rejoice with the federal government several hours after the release of the abducted pupils and teachers.

Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a tweet yesterday on his verified X handle, @aonanuga1956, alleged that Atiku never deemed it fit to speak up and congratulate the government at the centre and security agencies several hours after the victims were rescued on Friday.

The presidential media aide in the tweet stated: “Almost 18 hours after the Oriire pupils and their teachers regained their freedom, Atiku Abubakar @atiku has not deemed it fit to rejoice with the Tinubu federal government, the security agencies and the traumatised victims.

“Previously, he weaponised the kidnap as a campaign issue several times since it happened 57 days ago. Now that the abductees are out, all is quiet on Atiku’s internet lane. No comment. No words of praise. Maybe, the veteran presidential runner is waiting for some bad news to attack Tinubu’s administration. 

Onanuga, however, praised Obi for speaking out on the issue.

His words: “Kudos to Peter Obi: At least, he has spoken and called for thanksgiving without commending the Commander-in-Chief.”

Obi, while reacting to the rescue operation in an X post yesterday, described their safe return as “worthy of thanksgiving”.

He commended security personnel and others involved in securing the victims’ release.

 “I am greatly relieved and delighted to learn of the safe rescue of the schoolchildren who were kidnapped,” Obi said.

“I sincerely thank all those whose tireless efforts made their freedom possible, especially the security personnel and everyone who worked behind the scenes.”

He said the incident showed the need to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, warning that no child should be subjected to the trauma of abduction.

“While we celebrate this happy outcome, we must remember that no child should ever have to endure such trauma,” he noted.

 “The recurring incidents of kidnapping, particularly of schoolchildren, underscore the urgent need to strengthen our security architecture and make the protection of lives and property the foremost responsibility of the government.

“Our children deserve to learn in an atmosphere of safety, not fear. We must continue to work towards building a Nigeria where every child can pursue education without the threat of violence or abduction.

“I rejoice with the children, their families, their schools, and all Nigerians on this heartening development.”

 But reacting in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the ADC presidential candidate said there were “only two possible explanations for the Presidency’s latest outburst: either its media handlers were too lazy to acquaint themselves with publicly available facts before rushing to attack the opposition, or they were too embarrassed by the substance of his statement to acknowledge its existence.”

The statement quoted Atiku as saying, “It is astonishing that a Presidency with limitless public resources could accuse someone of silence without carrying out the most basic verification.

“Either they failed to read our statement because they were too lazy to do so, or they deliberately ignored it because it exposed uncomfortable truths about their misplaced priorities.”

 Atiku insisted he had issued a comprehensive press statement earlier yesterday, titled ‘A Nation at War Needs a Commander-in-Chief, Not a Campaigner-in-Chief’, in which he welcomed the rescue and commended the security agencies involved.

“What we declined to do was to applaud a Commander-in-Chief who, at a defining moment of national importance, remained publicly preoccupied with partisan political activities instead of personally leading the nation in celebrating the success of our troops and reassuring families whose loved ones remain in captivity,” he said.

The statement Atiku issued earlier yesterday had accused Tinubu of prioritising politics over national security.

In it, Atiku argued that Nigeria needed a “Commander-in-Chief, not a Campaigner-in-Chief” at a time the country was battling terrorism, banditry and mass kidnappings.

He had noted that the rescue coincided with the launch of the All Progressives Congress’ door-to-door campaign ahead of the 2027 election, which he described as troubling.

“The politics of re-election should consume no serious government while innocent schoolchildren have remained in the custody of kidnappers for weeks,” he said, adding that “yesterday should have been dedicated to the war room, not the campaign room.”

Atiku added that no amount of propaganda could erase the questions raised in his earlier statement, pointing to children still held in Borno State and elsewhere.

“The rescue of the Oyo schoolchildren brought joy to the nation, but Nigerians are still asking: When will the children abducted in Borno State and other innocent citizens across the country also regain their freedom? Those questions remain unanswered,” he said.

Atiku urged the Presidency to devote less energy to manufacturing controversies over opposition statements and more to confronting the country’s security challenges.

“A government secure in its performance does not invent silence where there was a documented public statement.

It responds to legitimate concerns with facts and results, not propaganda,” he said.

He added that Nigerians deserved a Presidency focused on rescuing every citizen still in captivity rather than one preoccupied with misrepresenting the opposition.

Atiku had also argued that Tinubu ought to have personally addressed the nation alongside the country’s defence chiefs immediately after the rescue, rather than leaving the announcement to his spokesman. At the same time, he was engaged in political activities.

 NGF Hails Rescue, Makinde to Brief Nigerians on What Transpired

In a related development, the NGF has welcomed the successful rescue of the pupils and teachers.

In a statement issued by its Chairman and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the forum congratulated President Tinubu on the successful operation.

The NGF said the rescue was the outcome of months of high-level coordination, intelligence gathering and disciplined execution by security agencies.

The forum also rejoiced with the families of the victims, noting that the operation had reunited them with their loved ones.

It commended the Oyo State Government for its collaboration with the federal government, which it said contributed significantly to the success of the rescue mission.

 On his part, Makinde said he would formally brief the people of the state and the nation at large next week on exactly what happened during the rescue of the pupils and teachers.

 The governor met with the victims and the medical personnel attending to them at the Military Hospital in Ibadan, where they were receiving treatment.

Makinde, while ‎speaking with journalists after the visit, disclosed that the state government would expect a formal handover of the victims from the military after the medical evaluation.

‎ “We’ll watch them over the next 48 hours, so by Monday we think an assessment will be done and maybe there’ll be a formal transfer from the military to the state. Then we can manage the process from that point forward,” the governor said.

‎“In the course of the week, I will officially brief the people of Oyo State and the nation at large on what exactly has transpired,” Makinde said.