The wives of suspected kidnappers involved in the Oriire school abduction will be arraigned if investigations confirm they aided their husbands’ activities, while their children will be released.
Security sources said the turning point in the rescue operation came after the Department of State Services arrested the terrorists’ wives and children in different parts of the country and took them to Abuja for interrogation.
According to the sources, recordings of the interrogations reached the kidnappers, forcing them to soften their demands and engage more consistently with security operatives during negotiations.
The kidnappers later proposed exchanging the abducted pupils and teachers for the release of their families and safe passage, but security agencies rejected the offer, insisting the hostages be freed first.
After intelligence confirmed the captives were no longer being used as human shields, security forces launched a coordinated assault on the terrorists’ hideout in Oyo National Park, rescuing all surviving victims and arresting eight suspects.
Officials said previous military operations had already weakened the terrorists, making the final assault more effective, although one abducted teacher had earlier been killed and security personnel also suffered casualties.
Security sources added that the operation reflects the Federal Government’s policy against paying ransom or negotiating with terrorists, noting that investigations into the suspects and their alleged collaborators are ongoing.
