Nation under siege: Outrage, condemnation trail Ibadan school attacks as bandits behead abducted teacher

The Defence Headquarters on Monday said Nigerian troops, in collaboration with the United States Africa Command, killed more than 20 Islamic State West Africa Province fighters during fresh coordinated air strikes in the North-East.

The DHQ said the operation was carried out in the general area of Metele following intelligence reports on the convergence and movement of terrorist elements within the region.

In a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, the military, said the strikes formed part of sustained operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and denying insurgents safe haven in the country.

“The Defence Headquarters, in close coordination with United States Africa Command, wish to update the general public on the continuation of coordinated operations against ISIS militants across the North East Nigeria, with additional air strike operations successfully executed in the general area of Metele.

“Following observed convergence and migration of terrorist elements, multiple air strikes were conducted resulting in the elimination of more than 20 ISIS/ISWAP fighters,” the statement partly read.

The military said the ongoing operations were designed to disrupt terrorist activities, remove fighters from the battlefield and prevent insurgents from regrouping.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to aggressively defend the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the nation,” the statement added.

Uba stressed that terrorists threatening citizens and national stability would be located and defeated, saying that there would be no safe haven for all terrorists anywhere in Nigeria.

“Terrorists who threaten our citizens, communities and national stability will be located and defeated. There will be no safe haven for all terrorists anywhere in Nigeria,” he said.

This is coming after the announcements by President Bola Tinubu and United States President Donald Trump confirming the killing of ISIS kingpin, Al-Minuki during a joint counterterrorism operation conducted by Nigerian and US forces.

However, one of the kidnapped teachers of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Michael Oyedokun, has been killed.

Oyedokun was beheaded in a new video allegedly released by bandits on Sunday.

The video showed that the teacher was gruesomely killed after being tied and forced to speak.

The viral inhumane video has raised fresh concerns over the safety of the remaining victims.

This latest development has thrown the community into mourning as residents, families of the victims and native continue to call on security agencies and the Oyo State Government to intensify rescue operations to secure the release of those still in captivity before being killed.

In his reaction, President Bola Tinubu has condemned the killing of one of the abducted teachers from Esiele community in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, while assuring that ongoing security operations will secure the release of all remaining victims.

According to a State House press release signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), the President described the incident as “barbaric” and expressed sympathy to affected families and the state government.

The Monday statement was issued from the State House, Abuja, and signed by Bayo Onanuga on May 18, 2026.

The statement said: “President Bola Tinubu has condemned as barbaric the reported killing of one of the abducted teachers from the Esiele community in Oyo State, while the rescue operation is underway.”

The Presidency confirmed that security agencies have been deployed to track the perpetrators and rescue the victims.

It added, “Security operatives are working around the clock to rescue the victims and apprehend the bandits and their collaborators within the community.”

Tinubu also expressed sympathy to the state leadership and families affected.

He emphasized federal-state coordination in the rescue effort.

“I sympathise with Governor Seyi Makinde and commend the steps he has taken on the matter. I sympathise with the families of the kidnapped victims.”

“The Federal Government is working with the Oyo State government to rescue all the victims. I commend the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioners of Police in Oyo and Kwara States for their quick intervention and the deployment of a tactical and the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) team to rescue the victims,” Tinubu stated.

The President further stated that he is closely monitoring the operation.

He assured, “The IGP, following my instructions, is personally leading the tech-driven operation. We expect a breakthrough soon. The bandits and all their local collaborators will be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.”

He also linked the incident to broader security reforms, calling for legislative action.

“Cases of kidnapping further make imperative the establishment of state police to man some of our underserved areas.

“The National Assembly should accelerate the enactment of the law creating state police,” Tinubu concluded.

Confirming the killing of the teacher, Dr Suleimon Olanrewaju, the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, in a statement on Monday, said the governor extended his condolences to the victim’s family and assured his government would explore both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to rescue others in the kidnappers’ den.

He also added that about six suspects related to the kidnapping incident have been arrested.

He equally sympathised with the family members of the tactical team of soldiers, Amotekun Corps and local vigilantes, who lost their lives in the rescue operation.

According to him, the operatives lost their lives when they ran into Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), planted by the abductors.

He stated that the wounded security personnel were responding positively to treatment and that the government would spare no cost in taking care of them.

He appealed to the victims’ relatives, religious bodies and other interested parties to exercise patience, promising that the government will rescue and reunite the victims with their families.

“So, please, there may not be quick fixes, but we will continue to endeavour to push ourselves to the limit to resolve this quickly.

“What we know right now is that seven teachers in all were abducted. And, unfortunately, we got a video this morning that one of the teachers, I understand, the mathematics teacher, was killed by the terrorists,” he stated.

Makinde, however, said the government has achieved some success with the operation, with some individuals already arrested in connection with the situation.

“Well, from the information available from the Commissioner of Police, about six individuals have been arrested within the locality.

“Some of them, we believe, are perhaps informants or people running logistics for the terrorists.

“Also, three individuals of interest have been arrested by another security outfit within the state,” he said.

In its re reaction, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN condemned the abduction of schoolchildren, teachers and school officials.

It described the incident as a “national disgrace” and a dangerous spread of organised criminal violence into the South-West.

The Christian body expressed outrage that heavily armed attackers stormed multiple schools, terrorised communities, killed innocent people and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers.

In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN said the invasion of schools by armed criminals in broad daylight reflected a frightening collapse of security across the country.

The gunmen invaded the school on Friday, May 15, and abducted the principal, alongside other teachers and several students.

The attack, which happened some weeks after a failed kidnap attempt that left one traveler dead along the Ibadan-Ijebu road, has renewed concerns over rising insecurity in parts of Oyo State and across Nigeria.