{
  "id": 5457809,
  "title": "Nine killed during Oyo kidnap victims’ rescue operation – DSS DG",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/nine-killed-during-oyo-kidnap-victims-rescue-operation-dss-dg-5457809",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-04T01:18:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/nine-killed-during-oyo-kidnap-victims-rescue-operation-dss-dg/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nine people, including four civilians and five security personnel, were killed during a rescue operation in Oyo State, Nigeria, where suspected members of an international terrorist group had kidnapped individuals. The Department of State Services (DSS) Director-General, Tosin Ajayi, revealed this in an interview. He stated that security forces pursued the kidnappers upon receiving credible intelligence about the incident. Ajayi explained that a vigilante and a police officer were killed during the initial chase. During a subsequent raid on the kidnappers' hideout, more fatalities were recorded, resulting in a total of nine deaths. The rescued victims included a two-and-a-half-year-old child who was unable to escape quickly during the assault. Ajayi highlighted the complexity of the operation, mentioning the presence of the young child. He also criticized the spread of disinformation on social media, noting that videos circulating online appeared to show children being tortured, but were actually footage from another country and unrelated to the Oyo operation. Ajayi urged the media to focus on fact-checking and separating facts from false narratives, especially during sensitive security operations. He revealed that the terrorist group involved had ties to Al-Qaeda and had previously been involved in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, as well as planning further kidnappings targeting foreigners, students, women, and children. Three suspects were sentenced to life imprisonment, with the DSS seeking harsher penalties. The kidnapping occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools in Oriire LGA and abducted pupils and teachers.",
  "summary": "DSS DG Tosin Ajayi confirms nine fatalities during the Oyo kidnap rescue operation, involving an international terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda. Read More: https://punchng.com/nine-killed-during-oyo-kidnap-victims-rescue-operation-dss-dg/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Nine killed during Oyo kidnap victims’ rescue operation – DSS DG",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/nine-killed-during-oyo-kidnap-victims-rescue-operation-dss-dg",
        "published": "2026-09-04T01:14:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}