President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has revealed that the Federal Government refused to pay ransom or negotiate with the terrorists who abducted pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, saying the government would not trade with criminals responsible for murder and mass abduction. Tinubu reportedly made the disclosure on Thursday while speaking during his engagement with the Olubadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, amid discussions on Nigeria’s security challenges.
According to the account, the kidnappers allegedly demanded not only money but also the release of members of their criminal network who had already been arrested. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the government rejected the demand because, in his administration’s position, negotiating with terrorists would amount to giving criminal groups leverage over the Nigerian state. The disclosure has added a dramatic new dimension to an abduction that kept the country on edge for 56 days.
PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU: “NO RANSOM, NO DEAL”
The Oriire abduction began on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked schools in the area and abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers. The incident became particularly tragic after the killing of a teacher in captivity. After 56 days, the victims were rescued in a coordinated security operation, with reports confirming that no ransom was paid and no prisoner exchange was made.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has therefore presented the rescue as evidence that the government can confront hostage-taking without automatically accepting the financial or operational demands of abductors. In the satirical interpretation of the development, the kidnappers apparently arrived at the negotiation table carrying a shopping list, only to discover that the Nigerian government had apparently forgotten to bring its cheque book.
The President’s position also comes against the backdrop of a wider national struggle with school kidnappings. Reuters reported that the Oriire incident was one of several mass school abductions recorded in Nigeria in recent months, highlighting the continuing vulnerability of educational institutions to armed groups.
TINUBU’S “NO NEGOTIATION” POSITION MEETS THE COURTROOM
The consequences for some suspects connected to the Oriire operation have already moved beyond the battlefield and into the courtroom. Three men linked to the incident were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Abuja after proceedings involving kidnapping, concealment of information and terrorism-related offences.
For President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the case has become another test of the government’s determination to pursue criminal networks rather than reward them. Reports indicate that additional suspects have also been arraigned over terrorism, kidnapping and murder-related allegations, meaning the legal chapter of the Oriire saga is far from finished.
But there is one part of the reported statement that requires particular caution. The supplied account says Tinubu spoke of being ready to “finish” the families and communities of the criminals. That wording should not be understood as a licence for collective punishment. Families and entire communities cannot lawfully be treated as criminals because of the actions of individual suspects. Any punishment must be directed at people established through lawful investigation and due process to have participated in or supported criminal activity.
For the satirical newsroom, however, the message coming out of the episode is unmistakable: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wants kidnappers to understand that hostage-taking will not automatically open the door to a ransom payment or prisoner exchange. The Oriire children are home, suspects are facing the courts, and security agencies remain under pressure to dismantle the networks responsible.
The Oriire story is therefore moving from a frightening tale of children disappearing into the forest to a broader test of Nigeria’s security strategy. With the victims rescued after 56 days, suspects convicted and more proceedings pending, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reported “no ransom, no negotiation” position will remain under intense public scrutiny. OGM News NG will continue monitoring the story for further developments, official clarifications and the next chapter in the government’s battle against kidnapping and terrorism.
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