Bandits Threatened to Kill Oyo Pupils if Troops Moved Closer — Defence Minister
The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that bandits holding abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State threatened to kill the captives if security forces attempted to storm their hideout.
Musa disclosed this in a preview of an interview with News Central, shared on Wednesday ahead of the full broadcast of the NC Exclusive programme scheduled for Friday.
According to the minister, the kidnappers are using the abducted children as bargaining chips to pressure the Federal Government into releasing some of their commanders currently in military custody.
“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander.
“When we wanted to take action against them, they threatened that if we came any closer, they were going to kill all the children,” Musa said.
The minister’s disclosure comes nearly eight weeks after gunmen abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and two other schools in Esinle, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, on May 15, 2026.
The mass abduction sparked widespread outrage across the country, with labour unions, civil society organisations, student groups and other stakeholders demanding the immediate rescue of the victims and stronger measures to tackle insecurity.
Speaking on efforts to combat kidnapping and banditry, Musa advocated the death penalty for convicted kidnappers and terrorists, arguing that weak laws have emboldened criminal elements.
“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know that once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he said.
The Federal Government has repeatedly assured Nigerians that security agencies are working to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and teachers, while intensifying military operations against criminal groups operating across the country.