Nine killed during Oyo kidnap victims’ rescue operation – DSS DG

During an operation to rescue victims kidnapped by suspected members of an international terrorist group in Oyo State, nine people were killed, including four civilians and five security personnel, according to the Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Ajayi. Ajayi revealed in an interview that security operatives started pursuing the kidnappers immediately after receiving credible intelligence about the incident.

The initial pursuit led to the deaths of a vigilante and a police officer. During a subsequent raid on the kidnappers' hideout, more fatalities were recorded, bringing the total to nine. Ajayi described the rescue operation as complex, noting that the victims included a two-and-a-half-year-old child who couldn't run quickly during the assault on the location.

He also expressed concern over disinformation spread on social media, where false videos purportedly showing children being tortured were actually old footage from another country. The terrorist group involved is linked to Al-Qaeda and had previously been implicated in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, planning further kidnappings of foreigners, students, women, and children.