Thirty-six days after Boko Haram terrorists abducted dozens of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, security forces have reportedly trapped the insurgents inside the Oyo National Park.
Sources familiar with the operation revealed that the terrorists, members of Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad, have resorted to planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and frequently relocating within the forest in an attempt to frustrate ongoing rescue efforts.
The victims, comprising 42 pupils and teachers, were kidnapped on May 15 from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, L.A. Primary School, and Community Grammar School, Esiele. One of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was killed the following day.
According to security sources, troops and other operatives have successfully blocked all possible escape routes from the forest, preventing the terrorists from moving their captives to another location.
“They have been surrounded and cannot leave the forest,” one source disclosed. “But they have planted explosives in many areas, making the operation more difficult. They move the victims almost daily to avoid detection.”
The rescue mission has come at a heavy cost. At least three soldiers have reportedly been killed during clashes with the terrorists, with two of the casualties recorded within the last two weeks.
Sources also claimed that the insurgents have intensified attacks in other parts of the country to divert attention and stretch security personnel engaged in the Oyo operation.
A former lawmaker familiar with developments said the terrorists’ commanders had deliberately escalated violence in northern states in an effort to reduce pressure on their members trapped in the forest.
“They are trying to distract the military and thin out the troops pursuing them, but that strategy will not work,” the source said, expressing optimism that the victims would soon regain their freedom.
Another security source explained that the kidnappers’ use of the abducted pupils and teachers as human shields remains one of the biggest challenges confronting the operation.
“They are using the children and teachers as shields, and we don’t want a situation where innocent lives are lost during a rescue attempt,” the source said.
The source added that intelligence reports indicate the terrorists have reinforced their ranks and currently number more than 200 fighters around the area where the victims are being held.
Governor Seyi Makinde had earlier confirmed that military personnel had lost their lives in the course of the operation.
Speaking to protesters recently, the governor disclosed that a Nigerian Army lieutenant was killed while participating in rescue efforts.
Security experts have urged the military to remain focused despite the recent spike in attacks across the country.
Retired Brigadier General John Sura described the increase in violence elsewhere as a deliberate tactic aimed at diverting security attention from the Oyo rescue operation.
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He advised security agencies to sustain pressure on the terrorists while adopting precise and intelligence-driven methods to avoid casualties among the hostages.
Another retired military officer, Brigadier General Bashir Adewinbi, warned that the insurgents were becoming increasingly sophisticated and urged authorities to rely more on aerial surveillance and advanced intelligence gathering.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government has maintained that it will remain cautious in releasing information about the operation to avoid jeopardising the lives of those still in captivity.
State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the government would continue
to speak through authorised channels and ensure that sensitive details are not disclosed.
Since the abduction in Oyo, several states have witnessed renewed attacks by terrorists and bandits, with security reports indicating that nearly 100 criminal incidents, including killings, kidnappings, armed robberies and terrorism-related attacks, were recorded across the country within the past week.
