By Adeyinka Adeniran
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, has revealed how a relentless multi-agency military offensive tracked terrorist kingpins across Nigeria, choked their supply routes, and ultimately forced the unconditional release of 44 school pupils and staff abducted from Igbonna, Oyo State.
He spoke on Monday at a brief event where the rescued abdutees were officially handed over to the Oyo State government.
The event held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Oyo State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan and attended by top government functionaries, the rescued victims, top millitary echelons of the Division, Security Commanders, among others.
The Nation, reports that the month-long operation reached a triumphant climax on July 10, 2026, when the remaining hostages were successfully rescued following weeks of intense ground maneuvers through the state’s densest Oyo National Park forest reserves.
Recalling the genesis of the crisis, Major General Nnebeife stated that the military was alerted around 10:00 AM on May 15, 2026, while conducting an event at the barracks, prompting an immediate mobilization of nearby troops.
He recounted that initial rescue attempts by a joint team of soldiers, local hunters, and Amotekun operators were severely hindered by the impenetrable topography of the forest.
The GOC explained that the canopy was so dense that aerial surveillance struggled to pierce the darkness, noting that “because of the nature of the forest, how thick it is, we had drone teams, we have Nigerian Air Force following up, but in some of those areas, if you are under that place, you can’t even see rays of sunlight”.
He noted that the atmospheric barrier compelled the military to rely entirely on a grueling ground operation deeper into the wilderness.
However, he noted that the breakthrough did not come without a heavy price, as the military suffered casualties during the early phases of the offensive, losing an officer and a soldier to gun battles, while others sustained severe injuries.
He confirmed that two of the abducted school teachers also tragically lost their lives while in captivity.
Despite the immense emotional toll and growing pressure from various quarters, Major General Nnebeife emphasized that the military maintained a strict non-negotiation policy, declaring firmly that “we will never yield to terrorists’ request, we will not, and we will never do that”.
Faced with a highly complex situation, the Garrison Command handed over coordination to a massive joint task force comprising the Office of the National Security Adviser’s Special Unit, the National Counter Terrorism Unit, Defense Headquarters Special Forces, the Navy’s Special Boats Service, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force, and Civil Defense.
He added that Air assets from Kainji provided tactical cover, while troops from Operation Savannah Shield in Kwara State established blocking positions along the northern border to prevent the bandits from slipping out of the operational theater.
He added that, rather than engaging in a blind chase through the bush, the joint forces shifted their focus toward dismantling the terrorists’ broader network.
“Security operatives successfully tracked down fleeing gang members and informants in states as far as Adamawa and Kano. The decisive blow was struck when the military completely isolated and blocked the terrorists’ primary logistics hub in Ashamu, a town in Oyo State”, he noted.
Major General Nnebeife noted that squeezing their supplies finally broke the abductors’ resolve, stating that “it finally put pressure on them and it was now they willing to release unconditionally”.
He added that the successful rescue was executed on the very evening that the military buried the slain officer in Adamawa State.
The GOC expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his strategic guidance and relentless daily oversight of the troops, as well as the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, for providing unwavering logistics and intelligence support to the military throughout the crisis.
He strongly debunked speculative media narratives that suggested the state government was indifferent to the situation, asserting that Governor Makinde was consistently calling for updates and working behind the scenes to ensure a successful outcome.
However, the military chief concluded his briefing with a sober warning regarding the local security architecture, hinting at an upcoming comprehensive review of the state’s vigilante system.
While praising the sacrifices of the local hunters who fought alongside the army, Nnebeife revealed that intelligence gathered during the operation exposed instances of internal sabotage and compromise.
He maintained that “there can’t be security if the people are not part of it,” but insisted that the army would sit down with the Governor and the Chief of Army Staff to reorganize the local vigilantes and hunters, noting that “even within our system, we have the bad ones among them” and that investigations revealed “a lot of collaboration from them”.
Meanwhile, medical teams led by Professor Alonge, including pediatric specialists, have taken custody of the rescued pupils and principal, confirming that the victims are recovering well and showing signs of physical improvement.
