Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has officially received the teachers and pupils rescued after spending 56 days in captivity following their abduction from schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
The victims were handed over to the state government by the Nigerian Army during a ceremony at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan.
Makinde said the government would take full responsibility for their welfare, medical treatment, rehabilitation and psychological recovery until experts confirm they are fit to reunite with their families.
The governor praised the Nigerian Army, other security agencies and President Bola Tinubu for their support, describing the rescue as a result of strong cooperation and intelligence-led operations.
He also assured that the incident would not disrupt the education of the pupils or the careers of the affected teachers.
The General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, disclosed that investigations revealed suspected local collaborators, including some vigilantes and hunters, who allegedly assisted the kidnappers.
He explained that troops relied on carefully coordinated ground operations because the victims were held deep inside a forest where air rescue was impossible.
Speaking on behalf of the survivors, the school principal described their captivity as traumatic, revealing that the victims suffered severe abuse.
She also confirmed that two teachers were killed by the abductors during the ordeal, highlighting the brutality of the attack before the remaining victims were eventually rescued.
