The Nigerian military has identified Boko Haram as the group responsible for the abduction of dozens of students and teachers in Oyo State, southern Nigeria. In an official statement, a military spokesperson confirmed that armed operatives belonging to the Jama’at Ahl al-Sunnah li-l-Da’awah wa al-Jihad (JAS)—commonly referred to as Boko Haram—carried out the raids.
According to military sources, these fighters may have fled northward regions after facing heavy resistance from intensified counterterrorism operations in their traditional strongholds. The attacks unfolded last Friday, targeting schools in Yawota and Esiele, where heavily armed assailants stormed multiple educational institutions.
Casualty reports vary: the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) reports 39 children and seven teachers kidnapped, whereas Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde confirms 25 students and seven educators were seized. Security forces are actively scouring the area to locate the victims, aged between 2 and 16 years.
While school kidnappings have become alarmingly frequent in northern Nigeria, such incidents remain rare in Oyo State, home to Ibadan—a major educational hub in the country. The military’s renewed push against jihadist factions, supported by international partners, appears to have driven some militants southward in search of new targets.
Recent joint airstrikes in Nigeria’s northeast—historically a Boko Haram stronghold—have reportedly resulted in the deaths of 175 militants, according to military authorities. Over the past few months, armed groups have escalated attacks, striking both civilians and security personnel. Data from Abuja-based intelligence firm SBM Intelligence indicates that 306 Nigerian soldiers lost their lives in the first quarter of the year alone.
