The Defence Headquarters said the kidnapping that occurred in Oyo State was carried out by members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad group, known as JAS, who had been pushed out of other regions by sustained military action.

In a statement from the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the military dismissed suggestions that it described the attackers as ordinary criminals, calling such claims misleading. The DHQ explained that its earlier remarks were meant to give accurate intelligence context and avoid public fear.

The statement identified JAS as the original Boko Haram faction active in Nigeria since 2002. It added that security forces remain present in affected locations, working with other agencies and community groups to recover victims and break up terrorist networks.

The case involved the abduction of staff and students from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele in Oriire Local Government Area. One teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was killed by the abductors. During rescue attempts, security personnel ran into Improvised Explosive Devices, which led to deaths among soldiers, Amotekun operatives, and local vigilantes.

According to the DHQ, available intelligence shows no formal or organized terrorist base in the South-West, and the Oyo incident was carried out by displaced terrorists acting in isolation.