Oyo Rescue Operation Turns Deadly As DSS Reveals Nine Fatalities

The Department of State Services (DSS) has disclosed that nine people were killed during the security operation to rescue victims abducted in Oyo State.

According to the Director-General of the DSS, Oluwatosin Ajayi, the casualties comprised five security personnel and four civilians. He said the deaths occurred as security operatives pursued the kidnappers and subsequently carried out a raid on their hideout.

Ajayi explained that security forces moved into action after receiving credible intelligence on the abduction. During the initial pursuit, a police officer and a vigilante member were killed, while further casualties were recorded during a subsequent operation against the kidnappers.

The DSS chief described the rescue mission as complex and delicate, particularly because some of the victims were children. He noted that one of the abductees was a two-and-a-half-year-old child who could not have escaped quickly if security forces had launched a direct assault on the location.

Ajayi also raised concerns over the spread of misinformation during the operation. He said some videos circulated on social media as footage from the Oyo incident were actually unrelated materials from another country.

He urged journalists and members of the public to verify information before sharing it, particularly during sensitive security operations, stressing the importance of separating verified facts from false or misleading narratives.

The DSS director-general further disclosed that the kidnapping network was allegedly linked to an international terrorist organisation with ties to Al-Qaeda. He said the service had previously arrested the group’s leaders, who were allegedly connected to the Abuja-Kaduna train attack and were planning further large-scale abductions.

According to Ajayi, the arrested kingpins and three other alleged collaborators have been sentenced to life imprisonment, while the DSS intends to pursue stiffer penalties.

The Oyo abduction occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed attackers reportedly abducted pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area. A coordinated security operation was subsequently launched, leading to the eventual rescue of the victims.