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Video does not show Nigerian troops neutralising Oyo kidnappers

Nurudeen Akewushola
Nurudeen Akewushola
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screenshot of the viral social media post

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A POST circulating on social media claims that the Nigerian military killed and captured several bandits during the rescue operation that secured the release of abducted pupils and teachers from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The claim was shared by an X user, @Hon_Jesugbemi, on July 11, 2026, alongside a video showing armed men, military vehicles and weapons allegedly recovered during the operation.

The user captioned the post: “During the rescue of the victims, some bandits were killed while others were captured alive. Kudos to Nigerian army and others.”

The post gained traction shortly after the pupils and teachers were released, attracting thousands of views and engagements.

CLAIM

Video shows the Nigerian military killed and captured bandits during the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

viral social media post

FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is FALSE.

On May 15, 2026, gunmen abducted pupils and teachers from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. After spending 56 days in captivity, the victims were released, with presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga announcing their freedom on July 10, 2026.

However, checks by The FactCheckHub show that the video attached to the viral claim has no connection to the rescue operation.

A reverse image search conducted on keyframes extracted from the footage traced the video to reports about military operations carried out by the Malian Armed Forces against terrorist groups in the regions of Gao, Sévaré and Anéfis in Mali.

Images from the scene shown in the footage had earlier been published by FATA Media, a Burundian media platform, on Facebook on July 4, 2026, before the release of the Oyo pupils. The accompanying caption, translated with the aid of Google Translate, stated that the weapons shown in the video were seized by Malian forces during clashes with armed groups in the affected areas.

The post explained that Mali continues to face significant security challenges from terrorist organisations and armed insurgent groups, prompting military operations across several parts of the country.

No evidence was found linking the footage to Nigeria, the rescue of the Oyo pupils and teachers, or any operation conducted by the Nigerian military.

VERDICT

The claim that the video shows bandits killed or captured by the Nigerian military during the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State is FALSE. The video has been online before the rescue operation.

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Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.

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