The terrorists holding 46 pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State have narrowed their demands to the release of detained members, according to a fresh video released from captivity by one of the hostages, a development that appears to contradict earlier reports of ransom and ideological demands.
In the video circulating on social media on Monday, the abducted school principal, Mrs. Alani, appealed directly to Nigerians and government authorities, insisting that reports claiming the kidnappers were demanding ₦1 billion, weapons, or the imposition of Sharia law were false.
According to her, the group’s sole demand is the release of some of their detained associates.
“They are not asking for Sharia law. They are not asking for money. They are not asking for weapons. The single thing they are asking for is the release of some of their people,” she said in the recording.
The principal also urged the public not to politicise the crisis, warning that misinformation could complicate efforts to secure the freedom of the captives.
The latest video is the clearest indication yet that the hostage-takers may be pursuing a prisoner exchange rather than a conventional ransom arrangement. If accurate, the demand would place authorities in the difficult position of deciding whether to negotiate the release of detained militants in exchange for the safe return of schoolchildren and teachers.
The abduction occurred on May 15 when armed men raided three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, rounding up dozens of pupils and teachers before disappearing into the forests around the Old Oyo National Park. The attack left at least one teacher dead, while another captive teacher was reportedly killed days later in captivity.
Earlier media reports had suggested that the abductors issued multiple demands, including the release of detained commanders, payment of a massive ransom, provision of vehicles and broader ideological concessions. However, the latest hostage video appears to present a different narrative, focusing exclusively on the release of imprisoned members of the group.
Security agencies have yet to publicly verify the claims made in the video or disclose the precise nature of ongoing contacts with the kidnappers. Authorities have previously confirmed that communication has been established with the abductors and that arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
The emergence of the new footage is expected to intensify pressure on both the Oyo State Government and the Federal Government, which have faced mounting criticism over the prolonged captivity of the victims. Teachers’ unions have already embarked on industrial action and nationwide solidarity protests demanding the immediate release of the hostages.
For now, the principal’s message offers the most direct insight into what the terrorists want: not money, not weapons, and not religious concessions, but the freedom of their detained comrades.
Whether the government is willing to negotiate on those terms remains the central question in a hostage crisis that has shocked the southwest and revived painful memories of previous mass school abductions in the country.
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