‘Oriire kidnappers sought release of family in exchange for pupils, teachers’

The terrorists who abducted 38 schoolchildren and six teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State had proposed the exchange of the victims in their custody with their wives and children picked up in different parts of the country by security forces, but the offer was rejected, Daily Trust learnt last night.

This newspaper had, last week, reported how the terrorists softened their demands from the Nigerian authorities when they learnt that their associates had been arrested.

It has now emerged that the associates are largely wives and children of the kidnappers.

It was learnt yesterday that sustained intelligence gathering enabled security agencies to identify and arrest several wives and children of the kidnappers in different locations across the country.

The operation was reportedly coordinated by a senior DSS official after troops had already surrounded the terrorists’ hideout inside the National Park forest and blocked possible escape routes.

“The arrested family members were taken to Abuja for questioning and the leaked recordings of the interrogations reached the kidnappers, causing them to change their approach and become more willing to engage security officials,” an insider with knowledge of how the rescue operation was carried out, said.

The source said that terrorists thereafter proposed releasing the abducted pupils and teachers in exchange for the release of their relatives and assurances of safe passage.

“The offer was outrightly  rejected because credible intelligence indicated that the strength of  the terrorists had been decimated, their munitions depleted and channels for new supplies blocked. They were asked to surrender or face military action,” the source added.

It was learnt that the arrest of their relatives  prevented the terrorists from harming their victims  and a  final assault was launched after authorisation from Abuja.

It was learnt that the terrorists finally abandoned the pupils and teachers and attempted to flee but were routed by troops.

Many of them were killed, while eight others were arrested.

Before the arrest of their families, kidnappers had reportedly demanded the release of detained terrorist commanders, ransom payment, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related laws before freeing the victims. They specifically requested the release of Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam or Mahmud Al-Nigeri, identified by security agencies as leaders of Ansaru, a Boko Haram breakaway faction linked to Al-Qaeda.

Security sources said investigations are ongoing, adding that innocent relatives of the suspects would be released, while anyone found to have participated in criminal activities would face prosecution.

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