PHOTOS: Meet the soldiers who hunted down Oyo kidnappers and brought the abducted pupils home

• 39 pupils and seven teachers were rescued after spending 56 days in captivity. Maj. Gen.

• Chinedu Nnebeife coordinated the intelligence-led operation involving multiple security agencies.

• Security forces arrested eight suspected kidnappers and disrupted the gang’s network around the Old Oyo National Park.

• President Bola Tinubu commended the operation, saying the victims were rescued “without the payment of ransom.”

The Nigerian Army has revealed some of the key officers and security personnel behind the successful rescue of the pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The rescue, which came after 56 days in captivity, has sparked celebrations across parts of Oyo State, especially around Ogbomoso, where many residents and travellers reportedly cheered as news of the operation spread.

While many Nigerians are celebrating the return of the victims, attention has also shifted to the soldiers and security operatives who spent weeks tracking the kidnappers.