Armed men who abducted pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have reportedly issued a series of demands as a condition for the release of their victims.
The affected schools, located in Esinele, Yawota and Alawusa communities, were attacked on May 15 when gunmen stormed the premises and whisked away students and teachers.
According to reports, the abductors have outlined four key conditions, including the release of two detained terrorist commanders, payment of a large ransom, provision of operational vehicles, and the acceptance of Sharia-related provisions.
Among those demanded for release are Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara’a or Abbas Mukhtar, and his deputy Abubakar Abba, who also operates under several aliases including Isah Adam, Mahmud Al-Nigeri and Mallam Mamuda.
Both men are said to be linked to Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimeena Fii Bilaadis Sudan (Ansaru), a known breakaway faction of Boko Haram, which has been implicated in several high-profile attacks across Nigeria, including the 2022 assault on Kuje Correctional Centre.
Security sources indicate that the suspects were arrested between May and July 2025 and are currently facing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Usman has already been convicted on a separate charge of illegal mining, which authorities say was used to finance arms procurement for criminal operations, while other charges are still pending against him.
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His deputy has pleaded not guilty and remains on trial.
In addition to the demand for the release of the detained suspects, the kidnappers are also reportedly insisting on a ransom of about ₦1 billion, which they allegedly want transferred to an account in the Republic of Benin.
The development comes amid ongoing efforts by security agencies to secure the safe release of the abducted pupils and teachers, as tension continues to mount over the incident in the affected communities.