Intelligence Gathering Led to Rescue of Abducted Oyo Pupils, Teachers Without Ransom — Ex-DSS Operative
A former operative of the Department of State Services (DSS), Seyi Adetayo, has revealed how security operatives secured the release of the abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State after 56 days in captivity without paying ransom or exchanging prisoners.
Speaking during an interview on TVC News on Friday, Adetayo said the rescue was achieved through sustained intelligence gathering and strategic pressure on the kidnappers’ support network rather than through force alone.
According to him, security operatives identified the kidnappers’ mothers, wives, children and other close associates during the intelligence-driven operation. He explained that the relatives were arrested, while videos of them were recorded and sent to the abductors as part of a strategy aimed at compelling the kidnappers to release their captives.
“They identified the kidnappers’ mothers, wives, children and close associates. They arrested them, recorded videos and sent them to the abductors,” Adetayo said.
He noted that security agencies also disrupted the kidnappers’ supply routes and escape channels while combining negotiations with sustained operational pressure.
Adetayo said the coordinated strategy eventually forced the abductors to release the pupils and teachers safely after 56 days in captivity, stressing that no ransom was paid and no prisoner exchange took place before the victims regained their freedom.
The victims, comprising pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, were released on Wednesday after spending nearly two months in captivity, with the development drawing widespread commendation for the security agencies involved in the rescue operation.