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Air Force and drones unable to penetrate forest canopy in Oyo rescue operation, says Army commander
via Punch Nigeria11 min read
Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, General Officer Commanding, 2 Division, Nigerian Army, stated that Nigerian Air Force and drone teams could not penetrate the thick canopy of the Old Oyo National Park during the rescue operation for 44 abducted pupils and teachers. This failure of aerial surveillance necessitated a ground assault, which resulted in the deaths of an officer and a soldier. The victims had been held captive for 56 days after gunmen attacked three schools on May 15. Due to the challenges, Major General Nnebeife took full command of the operation, integrating various security agencies including the Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Counter-Terrorism Unit, and the Defence Headquarters Special Forces. The Nigerian Police, DSS, and an Air Force Tactical Operations Group also participated. An initial attempt with hunters and local vigilantes also failed, with some hunters losing their lives. The rescue of the 44 individuals occurred on July 10, without the military yielding to the kidnappers' demands, which included the release of a detained Boko Haram commander. The final phase involved blocking the kidnappers' main logistics route through Ashamu, leading to an unconditional release of the captives. Eight suspected kidnappers were arrested and handed over to the DSS, and several others were neutralized. Lieutenant Felix Isaac, who led troops in the operation, was killed on July 10 and buried with military honors.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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