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Fresh details have emerged on the conditions reportedly set by terrorists holding teachers and pupils abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, with the kidnappers demanding the release of detained terror suspects, a huge ransom and other concessions before freeing their victims.
The pupils and teachers were kidnapped during coordinated attacks on schools in the Esinele, Yawota and Alawusa communities on May 15, plunging the affected communities into fear and uncertainty.
According to reports, the abductors have presented four key demands to the authorities. These include the release of two detained terrorist commanders, payment of a ransom reportedly put at ₦1 billion, the provision of two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The terror suspects whose release is being sought are Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy, Abubakar Abba, alias Isah Adam, Mahmud Al-Nigeri or Mallam Mamuda.
The pair are said to be leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (JAMBS), popularly known as Ansaru, a faction that splintered from Boko Haram. Security authorities have linked them to acts of terrorism committed between 2013 and 2015, as well as the 2022 Kuje prison attack.
Both men were arrested between May and July 2025 and are currently facing terrorism-related charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Usman had earlier been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on September 11, 2025, after pleading guilty to illegal mining offences, which prosecutors said were used to finance terrorism and kidnapping activities. However, he remains in custody while standing trial on several additional terrorism charges.
His deputy, Abba, has pleaded not guilty to all charges filed against him and is also undergoing trial before the same court.
Reports further indicate that the abductors want the alleged ₦1 billion ransom paid into a bank account located in the Republic of Benin, although the figure has not been independently verified.
Security experts have cautioned against yielding to the demands, warning that releasing high-profile terror suspects or paying substantial ransom could strengthen terrorist networks and encourage further attacks.
Retired Brigadier-General Bashir Adewinbi said the demands have placed the government in a difficult position, noting that conceding to them could have far-reaching security implications for the country.
Another retired military officer, Brigadier-General Peter Aro, urged authorities to first establish proof that the abducted pupils and teachers remain alive before making any critical decisions, stressing that prolonged captivity poses grave risks, particularly to children.
The Oyo State Government has remained tight-lipped on the reported demands and any ongoing negotiations. Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said revealing the government’s strategy at this stage could undermine efforts to secure the safe release of the victims.
The incident took a tragic turn two days after the abduction when the kidnappers released a video showing the killing of one of the hostages, Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher at Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele.
Governor Seyi Makinde subsequently confirmed the teacher’s death, describing the development as painful and heartbreaking while assuring residents that efforts were continuing to secure the release of the remaining captives.
