Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Tuesday confirmed that a lieutenant of the Nigerian Army was killed during ongoing efforts to rescue abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
The governor disclosed this while addressing protesters who trooped out in Ibadan, the state capital, to demand an urgent action over the continued captivity of the victims.
The victims were abducted during attacks on schools in the Ahoro-Dada, Yawota and Esiele communities on 15 May.
Mr Makinde said the officer was killed two days earlier during the rescue operations aimed at securing the release of the victims.
“We have lost men, even soldiers, officers. I can confirm to you that a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army was killed two days ago,” the governor told the protesters.
The disclosure marks the first official confirmation of fatality among security personnel during attempts to rescue the abducted schoolchildren and teachers.
In the circulated video, the governor did not provide details of the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death, but said the incident underscored the dangers faced by security operatives involved in the operation.
While authorities have not announced any breakthrough in the rescue operation, the governor assured residents that security agencies were continuing efforts to rescue the victims while seeking to avoid additional casualties.
He stressed that the state government would not allow the incident to degenerate into a prolonged national tragedy similar to the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State, in 2014.
“Oyo State is not Chibok, and it will not be Chibok,” he said. The governor said authorities remained committed to exhausting all available options to secure the release of the victims and prevent further loss of lives.
According to him, security agencies are balancing the need for decisive action with the responsibility to protect both the captives and personnel involved in rescue efforts.
“We’re doing everything possible. We’ve lost a teacher already,” he said. “If we can avoid losing more, we will avoid losing more.”
In one of the strongest remarks of the address, the governor stated that he was personally prepared to make any sacrifice necessary to secure the victims’ freedom.
“But if we get to the point that certain people have to be sacrificed, including myself, we will do it,” he said. “I’ve lived a good life. I’m almost 60. It doesn’t matter. My own father died at 76.”
The abduction
The victims were abducted on 15 May when gunmen attacked Community High School, Esiele, L.A. Primary School, Yawota and another nearby school in Oriire Local Government Area.
READ ALSO: Governor Adeleke launches re-election campaign, receives Omisore’s supporters
The victims were reportedly marched into the Old Oyo National Park, one of Nigeria’s largest forest reserves, where the attackers later beheaded a teacher, Michael Oyedokun, and hold other victims in captivity.
The incident triggered widespread outrage across Oyo State and beyond, prompting protests by teachers, civil society groups and parents demanding stronger action from the government.
On 4 June, Oyo State House of Assembly rejected negotiations with the attackers. They also called for enhanced security around schools, including the deployment of additional security personnel, improved surveillance and emergency response systems.