President Bola Tinubu on Thursday told a delegation of Oyo State traditional rulers in Abuja that his government refused to negotiate with or pay ransom to the militants who kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire last May.
He said the abductors demanded both money and the release of jailed members of their gang, demands that were flatly rejected, and described the military-led rescue that freed the victims after 56 days as intelligence-driven and successful without ransom.
Tinubu said his recent order to expand the Army from eight to 12 divisions was a direct operational response to the crisis, aimed at shortening response times and giving security forces the numerical and geographic reach needed to defeat terrorism and banditry. He also announced plans to retrain and re-equip forest guards as frontline security assets and pushed for state police with safeguards against abuse.
Speaking after receiving the Olubadan of Ibadanland Oba Rashidi Ladoja and other Oyo chiefs, the President urged communities to strengthen local intelligence, thanked the armed forces for their role in the rescue, and called on state governments to invest federal allocations in road infrastructure to improve access for security agencies. The Oriire attack on May 15, 2026, saw roughly 39 pupils and seven teachers taken hostage; a teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was killed. The rescue, concluded on July 10, led to eight arrests and several neutralisations, the Presidency said.
He revealed his directive last week to expand the Army from eight to 12 divisions was a direct operational response to the Oriire school abductions in Oyo State, saying the increase was designed to shorten response times and give security forces the numerical and geographic capacity to defeat terrorism and banditry.
The President, who is speaking publicly about the incident since the rescue of the Oyo abductees on July 10, said, “We refuse to negotiate for ransom. These criminals wanted us to release from detention members of their criminal gangs that were already arrested. That was one of their conditions, outside of the money they were looking for.
“And we said no deal. We are not going to negotiate with criminals. They committed murder, and we were ready to finish with their families, members of their own communities. They grew up somewhere.
“I think we succeeded with your support and prayers. I agree that we should commend the men and women of the armed forces for their excellent performance.
“On behalf of them, I accept your message, and I will forward the same thing and the same message on,” the President added.
Tinubu said the rescue operation was only possible because the military had a geographical layout of the forest.
He noted that the security event taught the Federal Government new lessons and demanded structural adaptation, adding that the expansion of the army divisions from eight to 12 was a geographical and numerical answer to the Oriire abductions.
“As we emphasise the question of security, each event teaches us new methods, opens our eyes, challenges us to examine and re-examine our architecture, our strategy, our map and operations.
“And you would have seen we’ve given a geographical and numerical answer to the challenges. We refused to pay ransom. We have the geography of the forest.
“We know what it is, and in answer to it, you’ve seen that from eight divisions, we are now moving to 12 divisions, to shorten the response time, to give that response time the teeth that is needed for us to defeat terrorism and banditry,” he said.
He continued, “It is very necessary, and we are doing so. We have equally embarked upon what was missing; several decades of fears and uncertainty about what to do about security at the local level will be corrected.
“There will be state police, and that state police will have guardrails from abuses. We will protect it from abuses, and you traditional rulers too will have a role to play more.”
The President blamed the intensified kidnappings and terrorist attacks on the security collapse in Nigeria’s Sahel neighbours.
He argued, “Some of them (terrorists) are non-Nigerians. You see the problem of insecurity in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic is adding more fuel to our challenges.
“In fact, that is why we must enhance the capacity of the forest guards as well as create the state police.”
He said forest guards would no longer be limited to wildlife enforcement but would be retrained and re-equipped as a frontline security asset.
“We are equally enhancing the capacity and capability of the forest guards. They are not just to chase antelopes and animals. We are going to have them chase the criminals and deal with them in various forests,” he noted.
The President appealed to the traditional rulers to communicate with their communities, asking citizens to become active participants in the intelligence architecture.
“The mention of intelligence is very important, and I want you to take it to our people, to be extra vigilant, to look at things critically, know their neighbourhoods, know their areas, report strange people,” he said.
Referring to Ladoja’s days as governor, the President urged state executives to redirect their significantly enhanced federal allocation toward road infrastructure that would both improve living standards and give security agencies better access to remote areas.
“The economy of operation is high. But the money that I’m pushing to the states, if you had it during your own time, or during my time, it would have been different.
“They are taking four to five times their money. Nobody is borrowing money to pay salaries now. Pensioners are receiving their pay.
“They should do more; instead of flying over where there is no numerical traffic, build roads and artery networks to really enhance the quality of life and the accessibility of the security agencies to penetrate those areas,” he said.
The President pledged to convene broader consultations with traditional leaders across the country and asked the Oyo delegation to appreciate the armed forces in their communities.
“I will be calling meetings of so many of you traditional leaders to listen to you and offer some suggestions throughout the country. I’ll find time to listen to them.
“The immediate challenge is monumental. It’s not an easy job, but I asked for the job, and I got it. You gave me the support, and I got to do it.
“I accept the assets and liabilities of my predecessor, so that’s the challenge of today,” he said.
He added, “I’m glad you are here. I congratulate you on the peace and stability of the region and the state.
“The security challenge is getting better. We are getting the hang of it much better.
“Any time you come across some of our soldiers and police officers, please pat them on the back and say thank you. They are doing a good job,” the President said.
Speaking, Oba Ladoja, who is the current Chairman of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, explained that the visit was aimed at thanking the President for his efforts and that of the Armed Forces in the recent release of Oriire kidnapped victims from captivity.
He said, “Even though they did not doubt the capacity of the Nigerian security operatives to deliver, there were fears over the possibility of the victims’ recovery at some point.
“We are here to thank you, Mr President, over the recent release of Oriire kidnapped victims from captivity.
“This is why we believe that the efforts of both President Tinubu and all stakeholders are commendable.”
He also said the delegation was at the Villa to appreciate Tinubu’s administration for its effort in tackling the deplorable condition of federal roads linking Ibadan in particular, and Oyo in general, with neighbouring states.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, in Ibadan, the state capital, Oba Ladoja listed some of the roads, such as the proposed dualisation of the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode road, dualisation of Ogbomoso-Ilorin road, and Badagry-Sokoto road through Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun areas of the state.
Ladoja said he believed that when constructed, the roads would open up so many towns and villages along the corridor, adding that the benefits of a good road could not be overemphasised.
The council, therefore, pledged the unflinching support and cooperation of “our people at the grassroots level in ensuring smooth execution of the projects.”
At the Villa alongside Oba Ladoja were Olugbon of Orile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao, the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Oyebola, Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola and Osi Olubadan, Oba Abiodun Kola-Daisi.
Others were Alajawa of Ajawa, Oba Adeyeye Oyetunji, the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye and Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oba Abioye Olalekan, who represented Okere of Saki.
The Oriire abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when gunmen attacked three schools, Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School and L.A. Primary School, in Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire LGA, taking approximately 39 pupils and seven teachers hostage.
Mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun was beheaded during the attack.
The rescue operation, which concluded on July 10, 2026, after 56 days in captivity, resulted in the arrest of eight abductors and the neutralisation of others.
The Presidency had described the operation as an intelligence-led, kinetic and non-kinetic operation that succeeded without paying any ransom.
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