Abuja - Christopher Musa, minister of defence, has disclosed that the terrorists who abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of Oyo state threatened to kill their captives if Nigerian security forces used maximum force to rescue them. Musa made the disclosure in a video interview with News Central TV, a preview of which was released on Wednesday, July 9.

Friday, May 15, gunmen attacked three schools in Oriire LGA and abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers, including the principal of one of the affected schools.

Days later, the terrorists brutally killed Michael Oyedokun, one of the kidnapped teachers, while he was in captivity. The abduction ignited widespread outrage on social media and triggered protests demanding the victims' release.

Musa reveals terrorists' chilling threat Speaking on the abduction, Musa explained that the situation required caution. He said: "Unfortunately, bad things do happen. For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage, because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom can make us release their commanders. "And now, we are threatened. When we wanted to take action against them, that if we come any closer, they are going to kill all the kids." Furthermore, the minister assured that operations are ongoing to rescue the abducted schoolchildren and teachers. He added that the country's security agents remain actively engaged in various operations across Oyo state’s volatile zones to address security challenges.

Kidnapping for ransom, especially of students, has become a common tactic for both armed groups and non-ideological “bandit” gangs operating across the country’s conflict-hit north and centre. While the 2014 kidnapping of hundreds of schoolgirls from the town of Chibok by members of Boko Haram remains Nigeria’s most infamous, school abductions continue to be prevalent across the country.

Nigeria has been battling an armed uprising since 2009, concentrated in the northeast. While violence has waned since the peak of the conflict a decade ago, analysts have warned of an uptick in attacks since 2025.