Seyi Adetayo Reveals Government's 'No Negotiation' Stance in Oyo Abduction Rescue

According to security and intelligence expert Seyi Adetayo, the Federal Government took a firm stance against negotiating with the kidnappers of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State. Instead, authorities opted for a robust, coordinated security operation involving elite intelligence and military units, which ultimately led to the victims' successful liberation.

The abduction incident occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed individuals stormed three schools within the Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, seizing 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers. Tragically, one teacher lost their life while in captivity, as security agencies relentlessly pursued rescue efforts for 56 days. The news of their successful release emerged on Friday, July 10, with the Presidency confirming that all surviving victims had been freed through a carefully planned security operation.

During an interview on Arise News following the rescue, Adetayo explained that the government deliberately refused any negotiations with the abductors, identifying them as members of Ansaru, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda. He emphasized that the government chose a meticulously coordinated security approach involving multiple intelligence and military agencies. Adetayo stated, “The people in question, they are not bandits. They are members of Ansaru, that is an affiliate of Al-Qaeda. There was a resolve by this government to say, ‘We are not going to negotiate, and we are going to give them fire for fire.’ It required carefully planned operations.”

He further alleged that the abduction was a calculated move designed to compel the government into releasing two detained Ansaru leaders. These leaders, he noted, are reportedly wanted by both the United States and the United Kingdom for their alleged involvement in terror-related activities. Adetayo claimed the South-West region was specifically targeted because it is the President’s home area, which would guarantee extensive media coverage and intensify pressure on the government.

“You need to also understand that the two leaders in question are also declared wanted by the United States government and the United Kingdom government for terror-related activities in those two countries,” Adetayo explained. “This particular attack 56 days ago was a carefully planned attack, strategically planned. And for several reasons. One, they needed a place where the government can feel the effect, so they chose somewhere in the Southwest because the government, the leader of the government, is from the Southwest. And they also understood the fact that social media and the general media platform is so vibrant in the Southwest. So, such an attack in the Southwest, where the president is from, will generate enough media attention, enough for them to be able to put government under pressure and secure the release of these two people,” he added.

Adetayo contended that the practice of paying ransoms and engaging in negotiations with kidnappers has historically fueled the surge in mass abductions. He argued that the government’s refusal to bargain with the Oyo State abductors sends a powerful message that acts of terrorism and kidnapping will not be rewarded. “We should give commendation to the current government and the leadership of our armed forces. If what has been done today or in the last 56 days had been the approach 14 years ago, as the other speaker said, we wouldn’t be in this situation. You see, the moment you continue to negotiate and pay ransom, you are creating an enterprise. And that is the reason why we see kidnappers everywhere, because they believe that once someone is kidnapped, they are going to pay money. But there’s a lesson that people need to learn from this, that government has made a bold statement to say even if you kidnap children 2, 3 years old, we will not let you breathe,” he emphasized.

Defending the nation’s security capabilities, Adetayo asserted that Nigerian security agencies relied heavily on intelligence and surveillance throughout the operation. He stated that operatives monitored the abductors’ movements and communications from the very beginning, tracked and apprehended some of their relatives across various states, and utilized intelligence to identify those involved, even though their identities were not publicly known. “Nigeria is highly equipped to the best of its ability and can place this—going to benchmark with countries of the Nigerian level, we have that technology. The movement of these people had been watched right from when this abduction took place. They were monitoring them, they know where they were, they are listening to their communication, they tracked their family members, they arrested their family members across different states, they brought them. Do you know what it takes to identify the people involved in kidnapping whose pictures and faces were not being shown on TV? That is use of technology.”

Adetayo reiterated that the operation underscored the government’s determination not to succumb to the abductors’ demands, stressing that no ransom was paid. He also highlighted that intelligence-led operations played a crucial role in identifying and apprehending suspects and their associates, while also commending security personnel who lost their lives during the rescue mission. “And the reason they—their motives and objectives were very clear. They wanted this, and government said no. Now, you see, they arrested eight people. That means that ransom was not paid. They killed some of them. In fact, they killed the rest. None of them survived. None of the terrorists involved survived. And also, family members of those people are also in captivity. And if you look at also, you know, cases like this in the past, the families weren’t just released; they were all taken to court, tried, and sent to jail. Because intelligence have shown that members—family members of those people are also involved in this trade. So before they were picked, they have been monitoring and then assessing them before they come to a point of those that they picked. So, for anyone to say that there’s no technology, I don’t think that that is right. I think we need to give kudos. People are dying in the course of trying to keep Nigeria safe, and we need to praise our armed forces,” he urged.