Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has explained why security forces delayed launching a direct rescue attempt for the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, revealing that a hasty assault would have resulted in heavy civilian casualties.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, July 30, 2026, IGP Disu addressed intense public scrutiny and criticism over the 56-day captivity endured by the victims before their ultimate release.
The victims were abducted in May 2026 when armed terrorists raided two schools in Oriire Local Government Area, driving them into deep forest reserves using a stolen vehicle belonging to a head teacher before setting the car ablaze.
Poor connectivity and operational hazards
Detailing the initial moments following the attack, Disu noted that difficult geography, lack of telecommunications network, and remote police infrastructure severely hampered immediate response efforts.
Despite these hurdles, a joint task force comprising police officers, military personnel, and local vigilantes immediately pursued the abductors into the wilderness.
“Policemen came, soldiers came, vigilante came… They followed them, the path. Somebody was shot as we were following them,” Disu revealed, disclosing that a police officer was killed during the early tracking phase. “Nobody mentioned that. Nobody saw it. Nobody saw the effort we put in.”
He added that both the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Air Force deployed helicopters for round-the-clock aerial surveillance over the vast forest stretches.
Managing public pressure and collateral damage
Addressing widespread public anger during the two-month ordeal, the police chief stated that law enforcement deliberately maintained operational silence to protect the hostages from being executed by their captors.
Disu emphasised that security leaders held late-night strategy meetings to weigh tactful rescue approaches against the threat of high civilian casualties.
“Everybody was attacking us left and right… We could not come out and talk. We could not expose those children,” the IGP stated. “There’s something called collateral damage. People were forcing us and comparing us to other countries in the world; they wanted us to take hasty decisions.”
To maintain strict operational secrecy, Disu noted that intelligence details were kept tightly restricted even within security agencies until the coordinated rescue operation was successfully executed.
