In a major breakthrough against insecurity in Nigeria’s Southwest, security forces have successfully rescued dozens of schoolchildren and teachers who were abducted from schools in Oyo State’s Oriire Local Government Area.

The joint operation, involving the Nigerian Army, police, and local security networks, freed the victims from a terrorists’ hideout believed to be within the expansive Old Oyo National Park axis. Details of the rescue are still emerging, but authorities confirmed that the children and their teachers are safe and receiving medical attention before being reunited with their families.

The abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed gunmen stormed Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esinle, kidnapping approximately 39 pupils and seven teachers. The incident sparked widespread outrage, protests across the state, and intense pressure on the government to secure their release.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and security chiefs had repeatedly assured residents that intensive operations were underway, with intelligence indicating the victims were held in the vast forest reserve spanning multiple local government areas. The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, recently described the ongoing efforts as making “tremendous progress,” boosting hopes that culminated in today’s successful rescue.

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has been commended for coordinating the military-intelligence-driven operation. Families of the abducted expressed immense relief, with many describing the ordeal as a nightmare that tested the resilience of the community.

Security sources say several suspects were neutralized or arrested during the raid, though details remain classified to protect ongoing efforts against banditry and kidnapping syndicates in the region.

This rescue comes amid heightened concerns over repeated attacks on schools in parts of Nigeria, echoing past high-profile incidents. Authorities have vowed to strengthen school security and root out criminal elements operating in forest areas.

More updates will follow as the victims are debriefed and full details of the operation are released.

The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) says it has facilitated the release and utilisation of more than ₦100 billion in previously unaccessed matching grants by states and the Federal Capital Territory, marking a major boost for basic education development across Nigeria.

UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, disclosed this during a media luncheon with education correspondents in Abuja, describing the achievement as a significant step in advancing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda for education.

Garba said the commission is implementing a results-driven strategy under its 2025–2031 Strategic Blueprint, aimed at improving access to quality basic education, strengthening learning outcomes and expanding opportunities for millions of Nigerian children.

She noted that the newly accessed funds are being deployed to upgrade school infrastructure, support teacher development and enhance the learning environment nationwide.

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According to the E.S, UBEC’s partnership with State Universal Basic Education Boards has led to the construction of more than 4,600 classrooms and the renovation of over 6,100 others.

The commission has also provided 2,780 toilets, 678 boreholes and more than 334,000 pieces of school furniture, while establishing over 2,300 Early Childhood Care Development and Education Centres across the country.

The Executive Secretary highlighted teacher development as a key priority, revealing that UBEC has invested over ₦20.4 billion in professional training programmes. She said the intervention is designed to improve classroom instruction, strengthen school leadership and promote accountability through the Effective Schools Programme and School-Based Management Committees.

Meanwhile, Chairman, Education Correspondents Association of Nigeria ( ECAN), Chux Ukwato, and Chairman, Nigerian Union of Journalist, FCT council, comrade Grace Ike, emphasized importance of media engagement in promoting and showcasing achievements of the commission, calling for more synergy between ECAN and UBEC

Oluwabukolami Adeyemi, the overall best student in the 2023 Cambridge IGCSE and AS Level Examinations, has added another remarkable feat to her academic journey by graduating with a First-Class Honours degree in Law from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.

Adeyemi’s outstanding performance in the 2023 Cambridge examinations, where she emerged top among over 100 participants from more than 100 countries, earned her widespread acclaim both in Nigeria and internationally.

Prominent figures, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, publicly commended the young scholar for her exceptional academic excellence.

Hailing from Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, Adeyemi was received in August 2023 by the then Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, at the Government House. In recognition of her achievements, Bello awarded her a full scholarship covering tuition, accommodation, and living expenses for her undergraduate studies in the UK.

The former governor’s investment has yielded impressive results. Adeyemi recently graduated with First-Class honours in Law, justifying the confidence reposed in her.

Elated by her success, Yahaya Bello has offered the academic standout another scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree in the United Kingdom.

In an emotional video message, Adeyemi expressed heartfelt gratitude to the former governor, describing him as “God sent to humanity.”

Her father, Olumide Adeyemi, also conveyed deep appreciation, noting that Bello’s intervention ensured his daughter’s academic brilliance was not dimmed by financial constraints.

“Despite her sterling academic ingenuity, it would have been difficult for me to guarantee the actualisation of her dreams of foreign education,” Engr. Adeyemi said. He added that Bello’s gesture has benefited many other students and prayed for the former governor’s continued good health and fulfilment of his aspirations.

The scholarship was formally fulfilled in September 2023, following Adeyemi’s receipt of the prestigious Cambridge award for recording the highest scores in the 2022/2023 IGCSE and AS Level Examinations across 146 countries.