The Nigerian Armed Forces confirmed on Thursday that the recent abductions of dozens of students and teachers in Oyo State, southern Nigeria, were carried out by members of the jihadist group Boko Haram.
In an official statement, a military spokesperson identified the attackers as belonging to Jama’at Ahl al-Sunnah li-l-Da’awah wa al-Jihad (JAS), the formal name of Boko Haram. Authorities noted that these militants had shifted their operations toward southern regions after facing heavy resistance from intensified military operations in the north.
The assaults occurred last Friday in the towns of Yawota and Esiele, where heavily armed men stormed multiple schools. Reports on the number of victims vary: the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) claims 39 children and seven teachers were kidnapped, while Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde reported 25 students and seven educators taken.
Security forces are actively searching for the abducted victims, aged between 2 and 16 years, along with their teachers.
While school kidnappings have become common in northern Nigeria, such incidents are rare in Oyo State, where the capital Ibadan serves as a major educational hub.
In response to the escalating violence, the Nigerian military, with support from American forces, has significantly increased operations against jihadist groups in the north. This intensified military pressure is believed to have pushed some fighters toward southern regions.
Recent joint airstrikes in the northeast, a historical stronghold of Boko Haram, reportedly resulted in the deaths of 175 jihadists, according to military officials.
Over the past few months, armed groups have escalated attacks targeting both civilians and security personnel. A recent security assessment by a leading intelligence firm in Abuja revealed that 306 Nigerian soldiers were killed in the first quarter of the year alone.