President Bola Tinubu on Friday said no ransom was paid and no concession was made to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by suspected Ansaru terrorists in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The President made the declaration in a post on his verified X handle after security agencies rescued the victims following more than 50 days in captivity.

“Tonight, our nation has reason to give thanks.

“The children and teachers abducted by Ansaru terrorists in Oyo State have been rescued by our security forces, alive and unharmed. No ransom was paid. No concession was made,” Tinubu wrote.

The abduction took place on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked schools in Ahoro-Esinle, Yawota, and Alawusa communities, seizing approximately 39 pupils and seven teachers.

One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed while in captivity.

The terrorists, linked to the Ansaru faction, initially demanded the release of two high-profile detained Ansaru commanders — Mahmud Muhammad Usman (also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar) and his deputy Mahmud al-Nigeri (Abubakar Abba or Isah Adam) — who were arrested by the DSS.

While the federal government rejected the demand, a viral video from one of the teachers while in captivity confirmed it.

Meanwhile, the President commended the military, the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Police Force for the operation, describing it as a testament to the courage and professionalism of the security agencies.

“I salute every officer and operative whose courage, discipline, and professionalism made this possible,” he said.

Tinubu also warned terrorists that his administration would continue to pursue them and protect Nigerians from insecurity.

“To those who seek to spread fear through terror, know that the Nigerian state will pursue you relentlessly. We will protect our people, defend our communities, and never relent until peace and security prevail across our country.”

The President’s statement followed Friday’s announcement by the Presidency that security forces had rescued the pupils and teachers abducted on May 15 from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.

In a separate statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the military, the DSS and the Nigeria Police Force rescued the victims after a coordinated military, police and intelligence-led operation.

He said the operation led to the arrest of eight suspected kidnappers, while several others were neutralised.

The President also praised the Oyo State Government for its cooperation during the rescue efforts and directed relevant emergency agencies to work with the state government to provide medical care and other support for the rescued victims.

He also pledged justice for the victims and the family of Michael Oyedokun, the mathematics teacher who was killed while in captivity.

“My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered,” he stated.

The rescue ended 56 days of captivity and brought to a close one of the country’s most prolonged school abduction incidents in recent months.

The federal government’s third repatriation flight conveying Nigerians who have expressed return to depart South Africa will arrive in Lagos on Friday.

The flight operated by Air Peace is expected to arrive early Friday morning with 271 returnees, Ebienfa said.

Kimiebi Ebienfa, foreign ministry spokesperson, gave the update in a statement on Thursday.

Though this is the fourth batch of Nigerians to arrive in the country, it is the government’s official third batch. The first group arrived on June 11 via Air Peace.

Ebienfa said the ministry encountered some logistical delays in operating the second flight, which led to the evacuation of a small group of 66 Nigerians by Kunle Soname, chairman and chief executive officer of ValueJet, on June 25.

On June 30, the ministry’s second batch arrived with 269 returnees. There have been 593 returnees so far.

Ebienfa said three additional flights will be operated in the next few days to ensure that all Nigerians who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared are brought back safely to the country.

Over 1,000 Nigerians were said to have expressed interest. Ebienfa said the expected number of returning citizens is 700.

The spokesperson also debunked reports of extortion, noting that all the evacuation flights have been fully paid for by the federal government and at no cost to the returnees.

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 21-year-old suspected armed robber who was allegedly found in possession of a suspected human body part.

The suspect was also said to have firearms and items believed to have been stolen from robbery victims during a stop-and-search operation along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

The police command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

According to the police, the suspect, identified as Samson Onilewaji, was travelling in an unregistered commercial shuttle bus with five other occupants when operatives intercepted the vehicle during a routine security operation.

Ms Adebisi explained that a search of the vehicle and its occupants led to the recovery of a suspected human right hand, two locally made pistols, one live cartridge, two axes, a Point of Sale (POS) terminal and five Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards from the suspect.

“The suspect confessed to having recently robbed three individuals of their personal belongings, including the recovered POS terminal machine and ATM cards,” the statement said.

The police stated that efforts were underway to identify and contact the victims so their recovered belongings could be returned.

Investigators are also working to establish the identity of the owner of the suspected human hand, the circumstances surrounding its possession and what it was intended to be used for.

The command said efforts had been intensified to identify and apprehend other suspects believed to be connected with the case, adding that Mr Onilewaji would be charged in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.

The arrest comes as the Lagos State Police Command continues to intensify stop-and-search operations and other security measures across major roads and communities in a bid to curb armed robbery, the proliferation of illegal firearms and other violent crimes. In recent months, the command has announced a series of arrests of suspected criminals and the recovery of weapons in separate operations across the state.

Reacting to the arrest, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai, reiterated the command’s commitment to combating violent crime and other criminal activities.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing the police with timely and credible information that would help prevent crime and enhance public safety.

The police also encouraged members of the public to promptly report suspicious activities through the command’s emergency lines.