By Our Special Correspondent
The search and rescue operation for pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Ahoro Esiele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has entered a critical phase, with security agencies intensifying efforts to secure the safe release of the victims.
Thirty-six days after the May 15 attack, the terrorists, identified as members of Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, are reportedly trapped within the vast terrain of the Oyo National Park, where they have been holding their victims.
Sources close to the operation revealed that the abductors have been employing desperate tactics to frustrate the rescue mission, including planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs), changing locations frequently within the forest, and launching attacks in other parts of the country to divert the attention of security forces.
Despite the difficult terrain and the terrorists’ resistance, security operatives have continued their coordinated operations, blocking possible escape routes and preventing the movement of the abductors and their captives outside the forest.
The operation, however, has come with heavy sacrifices, as some security personnel have lost their lives during encounters with the terrorists. Reports indicate that at least three soldiers have been killed in separate clashes while advancing against the insurgents.
One of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was reportedly killed by the terrorists shortly after the attack in what appeared to be an attempt to discourage security forces from closing in on their location.
The abductors are said to have demanded the release of two of their commanders — Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam, Mahmud Al-Nigeri, or Mallam Mamuda — in exchange for the release of the victims.
However, the Oyo State Government and security authorities have maintained that they will not negotiate with terrorists, insisting that every available strategy is being deployed to rescue the pupils and teachers safely.
A security source familiar with the operation explained that the terrorists have been unable to escape because troops have secured the major routes leading out of the forest.
“They know they are being monitored, and security operatives are closing in on them. That is why they keep moving their victims from one location to another. But they cannot leave the forest because they have been surrounded,” the source stated.
The source further noted that the terrorists’ use of IEDs and constant relocation have slowed the military advance, adding that security personnel are adopting professional approaches to avoid endangering the lives of the captives.
“The challenge is that any careless penetration could lead to casualties among the victims. The terrorists are using the children and teachers as shields, and any exchange of fire could have serious consequences,” another source disclosed.
A former lawmaker familiar with the rescue operation said the terrorists had increased attacks in other parts of the country as a deliberate strategy to stretch security resources and reduce pressure on their hideout in Oyo.
According to him, the insurgents are attempting to create distractions and force security personnel to reduce their presence in the forest.
“They know they are surrounded and that the security forces are getting closer. Their renewed attacks elsewhere are meant to divert attention, but the strategy will not succeed,” he said.
The source added that the government was being cautious to prevent a situation where the abductors might harm the victims during a forced confrontation.
Meanwhile, military authorities have acknowledged the complexity of the operation, stressing that the tactics of the terrorists differ from those of other criminal groups, making intelligence gathering and tactical movements more challenging.
A retired Brigadier-General of the Nigerian Army, John Sura, also warned that the renewed attacks by the terrorists were designed to distract security agencies from the Oyo rescue operation, urging that the focus must remain on securing the safe return of the abducted pupils and teachers.
As the operation continues, families of the victims and concerned Nigerians are awaiting the successful conclusion of the mission and the safe return of the children and their teachers.
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