Fresh details have emerged on the intelligence-driven operation that led to the successful rescue of 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers abducted from Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota and Alawusa communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, with security sources revealing that the arrest of family members of the kidnappers became the decisive breakthrough that changed the course of the operation.
The victims were abducted by terrorists on May 15, 2026, sparking nationwide concern over their safety. During their 56-day captivity, one teacher was killed, while the remaining 45 victims were rescued on July 10 in a coordinated operation involving the Nigerian military and the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to multiple security sources, weeks of painstaking intelligence gathering and sustained military pressure enabled DSS operatives to track down and arrest several wives and children of the suspected kidnappers in different communities and cities across the country.
The operation was reportedly coordinated by a senior DSS official after security forces had successfully sealed off the terrorists' escape routes and surrounded their hideout deep inside the National Park forest.
"The family members were subsequently taken to Abuja, where the wives were interrogated in accordance with established investigative procedures," one source disclosed.
Security sources further revealed that video recordings of the interrogations somehow found their way to the kidnappers, a development that reportedly unsettled the terrorists and dramatically altered the negotiations.
"The kidnappers suddenly became more responsive. They abandoned their earlier hardline position and started making frequent contact instead of disappearing after issuing demands," a source familiar with the operation said.
The terrorists subsequently proposed releasing the abducted schoolchildren and teachers in exchange for the freedom of their wives and guarantees of safe passage.
Security agencies, however, rejected the proposal, insisting that the captives must first be released and that the kidnappers should surrender or face arrest or possible elimination during military operations.
Investigators believe the arrest of the terrorists' family members significantly reduced the likelihood that the abductors would harm the hostages, fearing possible repercussions for their own relatives.
As communication continued, the joint rescue force steadily tightened its cordon around the terrorists' hideout, further restricting their movement and operational capacity.
A source familiar with the operation disclosed that the final order to storm the terrorists' camp was issued on Thursday night after fresh intelligence confirmed that the abducted schoolchildren and teachers were no longer being used as human shields.
The assault was swift, meticulously coordinated and backed by overwhelming firepower, catching the terrorists off guard.
Security sources disclosed that in the weeks leading to the final assault, troops had repeatedly engaged the terrorists in fierce gun battles aimed at weakening their combat strength and exhausting their stockpile of ammunition.
"When the final operation commenced, the resistance was significantly lower than anticipated because they had already been weakened by previous engagements," another source revealed.
The operation reportedly resulted in the killing of scores of terrorists, while eight suspected kidnappers were arrested. Although members of the rescue team suffered casualties, all surviving abducted schoolchildren and teachers were rescued safely.
Sources said the decision to launch the final assault instead of prolonging negotiations was influenced by lessons learned from the abduction of retired Major General Abubakar Rabbe in Katsina State.
According to the sources, the DSS had earlier recommended a military assault on the kidnappers' hideout after concluding that such an operation offered the best chance of rescuing the retired general and his wife. The recommendation was reportedly not adopted because authorities hoped negotiations would secure their release.
General Rabbe later died in captivity after reportedly developing a medical condition.
Security officials said the incident reinforced the view that prolonged negotiations with heavily armed terrorist groups could, in some circumstances, pose greater risks than carefully planned rescue operations supported by credible intelligence.
Following the successful rescue of the Oriire victims and the arrest of several suspected kidnappers, investigations are continuing.
Security sources disclosed that children of the suspects found to have committed no offence would be released, while any wives established to have actively participated in the criminal enterprise would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The sources further revealed that the arrest of the terrorists' family members was consistent with President Bola Tinubu's policy of rejecting ransom payments and refusing negotiations with terrorist groups.
Before the rescue operation, the kidnappers had demanded the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related laws as conditions for freeing the victims.
Among those they requested were Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara'a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri.
Security agencies identify both men as senior leaders of Jama'atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a breakaway faction of Boko Haram linked to Al-Qaeda. They were arrested by DSS operatives last year.
The latest revelations underscore the central role intelligence gathering, coordinated military operations and strategic pressure played in dismantling the kidnappers' resistance and securing the safe return of dozens of victims, marking one of the country's most significant counter-terrorism rescue operations in recent months.
