Nigeria's military says it has freed all 44 pupils and teachers who were abducted two months ago from schools in the southern state of Oyo, and arrested some of their captors.

A local teachers' union told the BBC of its relief; families say the ordeal has been harrowing and they are still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones.

The army said that several soldiers died in the rescue mission.

The freed captives are currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital and will return home at a later date, army spokesman Danjuma Jonah Danjuma said in a statement issued on Friday evening.

A renewed wave of mass kidnappings, which have hit Nigeria in recent months, keep insecurity a major issue ahead of next year's general election. The government says it is stepping up security around schools and vulnerable communities but critics say it is not enough.

Victims

The attackers abducted children and teachers on 15 May from three schools in the Osiire district of Oyo state: Baptist Nursery and Primary School, LA Primary School and Community Grammar School.

No official confirmation of the victims' ages has been given, but children at such schools in Nigeria are typically aged between two and 18 years old.

Families’ Reactions

"It was a harrowing experience… but we thank God that it ended well," said Prof. Wole Alamu. His wife, Rachael Folawe Alamu, headteacher of Community Grammar School, said their family had found the videos released by the kidnappers especially distressing.

Prof. Alamu added, "We are happy that they are out and we are grateful to everybody who has contributed in one way or the other for the release."

Security Calls

Hassan Ajibola, head of Oyo State teachers' union, expressed joy but urged full implementation of the Safe School Initiative launched over a decade ago following the Chibok abduction. He said that, if fully implemented, it would secure schools, proposing deployments of security personnel, CCTV, patrols, fencing and local security groups.

Lawmakers and rights groups want an investigation into how Safe School Initiative funds have been used.

Operation Details

The month‑long rescue involved the military, police, intelligence agencies and local vigilante groups. Authorities identified and dismantled the kidnappers’ support network, including informants and hideouts in the Old Oyo National Park forest.

While the army acknowledged it had killed several personnel, it did not provide additional details. It announced on Friday that it had arrested a number of suspects, though it said some remain at large. More operations are planned.

Additional reporting by Natasha Booty and Abayomi Adisa. For more on this story, visit the BBC news page: BBC.com.