The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, has defended the delayed rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, explaining that security forces deliberately paced the operation to prevent collateral damage and protect the hostages’ lives.
Addressing journalists on Thursday regarding the May 2026 raid in Oriire Local Government Area, IGP Disu revealed that senior commanders held late-night strategy sessions in strict secrecy while facing intense public criticism over the pace of the mission. The operation ultimately secured the safe release of the victims after 56 days in captivity through a joint effort involving the police, the military, and local vigilantes.
According to the police chief, the abductors targeted two schools before seizing a headteacher’s vehicle for their escape, which they subsequently torched at the forest fringe.
The remote location severely hampered initial response efforts, Disu noted, citing a complete lack of mobile network coverage, a sparse local security presence, and a single access road serving the affected villages.
During the initial pursuit, security personnel faced immediate danger, resulting in the death of a police officer tracking the gang through the bush.
“Nobody mentioned that. Nobody saw it. Nobody saw the effort we put in,” Disu said.
Despite the ground setback, the search continued around the clock with aerial support from both police and Nigerian Air Force helicopters.
Explaining the operational silence that drew widespread public backlash and unfavorable comparisons to foreign security responses, Disu stressed that releasing updates would have compromised hostage safety.
“We cannot come out and talk. We cannot expose those children,” he said. “There’s something they call collateral damage. People are forcing us… They wanted us to take hasty decisions.”
To prevent leaks, details of the coordinated rescue plan were tightly held, even within the ranks.
“Most of this, we did not come back and even tell a lot of our colleagues because we wanted to keep it secret,” Disu added.
The disciplined approach and sustained inter-agency coordination ultimately paid off, culminating in the successful rescue of all hostages.