Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Christopher Musa, said kidnappers holding pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State threatened to kill the captives if security forces moved closer to their location, raising concerns over the risks facing efforts to rescue the victims.
Musa disclosed the threat in a preview of an interview with News Central released on Wednesday ahead of its broadcast on the NC Exclusive programme on Friday. He said the armed group was using the children as leverage in an attempt to pressure the government into releasing some of its commanders currently in military custody.
“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander,” Musa said.
The minister said the kidnappers issued the warning after security agencies considered taking action against them, threatening to kill the captives if troops moved closer to their position.
“And now they’re threatening when we wanted to take action against them that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids,” he said.
The comments come nearly eight weeks after gunmen abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota and two other schools in Esinle, both in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The attack, which took place on May 15, has intensified concerns over the safety of schools in Nigeria, where armed groups have increasingly targeted students and teachers.
Authorities have not provided detailed information about ongoing efforts to secure the release of the victims. Musa’s comments offered insight into the challenges facing security agencies as they attempt to respond to the abduction while avoiding actions that could endanger the hostages.
Kidnapping for ransom has become one of Nigeria’s most persistent security challenges. Criminal groups have carried out attacks on schools, communities and travelers, demanding ransom payments or using abducted people as bargaining tools. While large-scale school kidnappings have historically been concentrated in northern parts of the country, the Oyo abduction has drawn renewed attention to the spread of criminal networks beyond traditional hotspots.
The crisis gained international attention after the 2014 abduction of more than 270 schoolgirls from Chibok in northeastern Nigeria by Boko Haram, an extremist group. Since then, repeated attacks on schools have prompted calls for stronger protection of students and communities, as authorities continue efforts to address insecurity across the country.
Security experts have warned that hostage situations involving children present complex decisions for authorities. While military operations may offer a chance of rescue, officials must also consider the possibility that armed groups could harm captives in response.
Beyond the immediate hostage crisis, Musa called for tougher punishment for people convicted of kidnapping and banditry, including support for the death penalty. “I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he said.
The debate over harsher penalties for kidnapping continues in Nigeria, with supporters arguing that stronger punishment could discourage criminal activity, while others have called for broader improvements in policing, intelligence gathering and the justice system. For families of the abducted pupils and teachers, the priority remains securing their safe return, with authorities yet to announce the release of the victims or provide details of a breakthrough in efforts to bring them home.
