Former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, says the successful rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State has sent a strong message to terrorist groups, warning that future attacks on schools may no longer be an easy option.
Amachree stated this while speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Monday, where he described the perpetrators as part of a wider international terrorist network rather than ordinary bandits.
According to him, the successful rescue operation would likely make terrorist groups rethink future school abductions.
“This particular situation, this incident, has sent a warning and, of course, I think the terrorists are going to think twice before they even think about school abduction,” Amachree stated.
“I want to make it very clear we are dealing with international terrorism. We are not talking about these bandits now or even Boko Haram, which has already aligned itself and affiliated with Al-Qaeda, ISWAP and other international bodies,” he said.
He, however, urged the government to strengthen preventive measures by reviving the Safe School Initiative introduced after the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls.
“While we are doing that, I would also like to throw in here that we should now start looking at our Safe School Initiative, a programme that has been there since the Chibok girls, and then do something about it.
“We cannot continue to say we do not want these things to happen and then only react after they occur. Let’s be proactive about what is happening with terrorism in Nigeria,” he added.
Amachree’s remarks come days after security forces rescued pupils and teachers abducted from a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, ending their 56-day ordeal in captivity.
LEADERSHIP recalls that victims were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked the school. During their captivity, one of the teachers was reportedly killed by the abductors.
Following the rescue, the Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations, 2 Division, Lt. Col. Danjuma Danjuma, said the operation was intelligence-driven and followed more than a month of coordinated efforts by security agencies.
According to the military, the operation targeted the kidnappers’ network and hideouts within the Old Oyo National Park and other locations, leading to the successful rescue of the victims.
Amachree also alleged that the kidnappers’ objective extended beyond ransom, claiming the group wanted the release of key terrorist figures currently in government custody.
“In this particular case, it was not basically about money. It was an exchange. They wanted their leaders out. Their leaders are very important, critical leaders who are wanted all over the world and are already in DSS custody. Some of them are being prosecuted, and those are the people they wanted,” he said.
He further alleged that the group attempted to demonstrate its resolve by killing one of the teachers during the hostage crisis.
“They were so desperate to show the country and the government that they were very serious that they slaughtered a teacher right in front of the cameras on social media to show that they were serious,” the former DSS official alleged.
