'We refuse to negotiate, We no gree pay ransom' - Tinubu ontop Oyo school children and teachers rescue operations

President Bola Tinubu say im administration no dey negotiate wit criminals or pay ransom, as e reveal fresh details about how im govment take secure di release of di school children and teachers wey terrorists kidnap from three schools for Oriire local govment area of Oyo state, southwest Nigeria for 15 May.

Di Nigerian leader give dis fresh updates wen e receive di traditional rulers from Oyo State, wey di Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja lead for di State House Abuja on Thursday, 30 July.

Dis na di first time di President go publicly address how govment take secure di release of di school children and teachers wey jaguda pipo kidnap for di state.

Although, e bin release statement to hail security agents wey involve for di rescue operations, assure di released victims of justice and cut warning to terrorists wey dey operate for di kontri.

Presidency bin announce di release of di abducted school children and teachers on 10 July, 56 days afta dia abduction from dia schools for Oriire community.

Terrorists' nationality

Di president reveal say some of di terrorist wey carry out di abduction no be Nigerians.

Although, e no reveal di countries dem come from, but e day di security problems for Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic dey add more fuel to Nigeria security challenges.

Meanwhile, Nigeria recently sentence three men to life in prison for offences wey relate to di kidnapping of di pupils and teachers.

One High Court for Abuja, sentence Abdulrazak Umar - alias Abu Khalifa, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani afta dem plead guilty to charges say dem hide information about di kidnapping.

Plus say dem be members of Darus Salam, one affiliate of di Ansaru terrorist group.

But dem deny di accuse say dem collabo wit oda suspects between January and May 2026 to kidnap schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo state.

Nigeria secret police, di Department of State Services (DSS) don also arraign five additional suspects on terrorism, kidnapping and murder charges, and court don adjourn dia case until 24 September.

'We refuse to negotiate'

President Tinubu also say im govment no gree negotiate wit di terrorists.

E confam one tori wey bin spread on some of di demands of di kidnappers, wey be say make di govment release some of dia members for detention.

"These criminals want make we review di release from detention, members of dia criminal gangs wey we don already arrest.

Dat na one of dia conditions, apart from di money dem dey find. And I say, 'no deal,' we no go negotiate wit criminals. Dem commit murder and we dey bin ready to finish dem.

"Dem get families and members of dia own communities," e add

'We refuse to pay ransom'

Tinubu say di govment sabi di geography of di forests and dem know wetin e be and dey respond to am.

E say im recent order to expand di Army from eight to 12 divisions na direct operational response to di crisis, and di aim na to reduce di response time and give security forces di numerical and geographic reach dem need to defeat terrorism and banditry.

"You don see say we dey move from eight divisions to 12 divisions to reduce di response time and give dat response wetin e need to defeat terrorism and banditry."

E also announce plans to retrain and re-equip forest guards as frontline security assets and push for state police wit safeguards against abuse.