PHOTOS: Meet the soldiers who hunted down Oyo kidnappers and brought the abducted pupils home

• 39 pupils and seven teachers were rescued after spending 56 days in captivity. Maj. Gen.

• Chinedu Nnebeife coordinated the intelligence-led operation involving multiple security agencies.

• Security forces arrested eight suspected kidnappers and disrupted the gang's network around the Old Oyo National Park.

• President Bola Tinubu commended the operation, saying the victims were rescued "without the payment of ransom."

The Nigerian Army has revealed some of the key officers and security personnel behind the successful rescue of the pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The rescue, which came after 56 days in captivity, has sparked celebrations across parts of Oyo State, especially around Ogbomoso, where many residents and travellers reportedly cheered as news of the operation spread.

While many Nigerians are celebrating the return of the victims, attention has also shifted to the soldiers and security operatives who spent weeks tracking the kidnappers.

According to the Nigerian Army, the rescue mission was coordinated by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Maj. Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife.

The Army said the operation was intelligence-driven and involved weeks of planning before the victims were finally rescued on July 10, 2026.

Nnebeife took over as GOC of the 2 Division in August 2025 at the Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment in Ibadan. During his assumption of office, he promised to improve operational effectiveness while also prioritising the welfare of troops.

Before the latest rescue, the senior military officer had also led an operation in Kwara State that resulted in the rescue of two kidnap victims from the Babasango Forest.

Aside from commanding the 2 Division, he also serves as the Force Commander of Operation FANSAN YAMA Sector 3, one of the Nigerian Army's major internal security operations.

READ ALSO: Freedom at last! Kidnapped Oyo pupils and teachers rescued after 56 days

The rescue operation involved several security agencies working together for more than a month.

According to the Army, those involved included personnel from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Defence Headquarters, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Amotekun Corps, local vigilantes and hunters.

Elite units such as the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service (SBS), Defence Headquarters Special Operations Forces (DHQSOF), Army Special Operations Forces snipers, Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), and the DSS Special Tactical and Anti-Terrorism Team (STATT) also participated in the operation.

Air surveillance and intelligence assets from the Nigerian Air Force reportedly played a major role in tracking the kidnappers.

The Army disclosed that troops concentrated operations around the Old Oyo National Park, where the kidnappers allegedly operated camps, logistics routes and informant networks.

Security operatives arrested eight suspected kidnappers across Oyo and other states.

According to the Presidency and the Army, the arrests and sustained military pressure weakened the gang, forcing them to release the victims.

The Federal Government also maintained that the rescue was achieved without giving in to the kidnappers' reported demand for the release of a Boko Haram suspect standing trial for terrorism.

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Although the pupils and teachers were rescued safely, the Army confirmed that some security personnel lost their lives during the operation.

However, it did not reveal how many officers were killed or the agencies they belonged to.

The rescued victims were first taken to hospital for medical checks before they were handed over to the Oyo State Government for reunion with their families.

The victims had been abducted after gunmen attacked Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, taking away 39 pupils and seven teachers.

Reacting to the successful operation, President Bola Tinubu praised the security agencies, saying the children and teachers were rescued "without the payment of ransom."

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