Father of officer killed during rescue attempt in Oyo decries lack of briefing from army, Oyo govt
Says his son was diverted from his original posting to frontlines in Oyo forest
The family of Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac, the 28-year-old Nigerian Army officer killed during an earlier attempt to rescue the 44 Oriire school children and teachers, has decried a lack of briefing from the authorities.
The late officer’s father, a retired military veteran, revealed that the army or the Oyo State government had not deemed it fit to reach out to the family with official information about the circumstances surrounding the death of their son.
He described his son as a brilliant young lieutenant who was the absolute core hope of his family and community before his life was abruptly cut short.
Lieutenant Isaac, who spearheaded the tactical vanguard units under the command of Major General Chinedu Ralph Nnebeife (GOC, 2 Division), was buried with full military honours at the 23rd Armoured Brigade Cemetery in Yola, Adamawa State, on Friday, July 10, 2026—the very same day the hostages secured their freedom.
Speaking from his residence in the Bachure Quarters of Yola on Sunday, the deceased’s father, retired Master Warrant Officer Isaac Alabura, described a household completely shattered by the sudden tragedy.
How Lt. Felix Ademe Isaac was redeployed to the frontlines
According to Alabura, his son had just concluded an advanced tactical training program at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Jaji, Kaduna State. He was actively preparing to report to Sokoto State for a different routine assignment.
However, a sudden operational shift mid-afternoon completely redirected his trajectory.
“Around 3:00 p.m., he was instead directed to lead the rescue operation in Oyo,” the grieving father stated. “It is natural to feel pain whenever you lose someone, even if it is an enemy. How much more a brilliant, young officer whom our family and community looked up to? His life was cut short at a time we expected him to achieve greater things.”
Investigative reports surrounding the clash inside the Old Oyo National Park point to deep tactical hazards.
While the initial military brief acknowledged casualties among the security forces, conflicting intelligence accounts have emerged. Frontline sources state that Lieutenant Isaac’s convoy either struck an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or that the young officer directly stepped on a concealed landmine heavily laid by Ansaru fighters—the Al-Qaeda-affiliated faction behind the 56-day school mass abduction.
Family decries operational silence
Despite the high-profile national celebration surrounding the safe return of the Baptist Nursery and Primary School and Community Grammar School victims, the fallen hero’s father expressed deep disappointment regarding the institutional handling of his son’s demise.
Alabura stated that neither the Nigerian Army high command nor Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration had extended the courtesy of an official briefing to the family to clarify the exact circumstances of the death.
He did, however, express immense gratitude to four serving and retired senior military officers who stepped in to stop an initial plan by certain administrative quarters to bury the young lieutenant in Oyo State, ensuring his remains were flown back home to Adamawa.
“We have lost a beloved family member, and Nigeria has also lost a promising officer who still had so much to offer,” the deceased’s cousin, Tidwawa Nelson Eweh, added, calling on the federal government to permanently immortalise the young officer.
Lieutenant Isaac, born on August 25, 1997, hailed from the Kola ward in the Guyuk Local Government Area of Adamawa State—a prominent region known for producing top-tier national figures. He is survived by his father, mother, a brother, and a sister.
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