Oyo abductors reveal four-point demand before releasing captives

Abdullateef Fowewe

Kidnappers holding teachers and pupils taken from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have said they will only free their captives if government meet four demands.

The attackers, who abducted students and staff from schools in Esinele, Yawota and Alawusa on May 15, want the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Toyota Hilux vehicles and implementation of Sharia-related law, Dailyeconomy gathered.

“They asked specifically for the liberation of Mahmud Usman (aka Abu Bara’a) and his deputy Abubakar Abba (aka Isah Adam),” a security source revealed.

“They also want ₦1 billion sent to a bank account in the Republic of Benin and two Hiluxes, the anonymous source added.

Usman and Abba are accused leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (Ansaru).

The pair were arrested between May and July 2025 and are facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja; Usman was handed a 15-year jail term in September 2025 after pleading guilty to one count of illegal mining and remains in DSS custody on other charges.

However, a retired security personnel while speaking with Dailyeconomy warned that meeting the kidnappers’ demands would endanger national security.