Parents in southwestern Nigeria relieved after kidnapped children return

Parents in Nigeria’s southwestern Ondo State expressed relief after dozens of schoolchildren abducted by gunmen were safely reunited with their families, bringing an emotional end to an ordeal that had gripped local communities for days.

The children were kidnapped last week when armed men intercepted a school bus travelling along a rural road in Owo Local Government Area. The attackers forced the driver to stop before leading the children and several staff members into nearby forests, according to local authorities.

The abduction triggered a large-scale search involving security agencies, local vigilante groups and community leaders. Families waited anxiously for news as officials worked to secure the children’s release.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed that all of the children had been released and were undergoing medical examinations and counselling before returning home. He thanked security personnel, traditional rulers and residents for their efforts but did not disclose whether a ransom had been paid.

“We are grateful that our children are back alive,” the governor said in a statement, adding that investigations into the kidnapping would continue and those responsible would be brought to justice.

Scenes of celebration unfolded as parents embraced their children at a government facility where they were handed over to relatives. Some parents broke down in tears after days of uncertainty.

“I couldn’t sleep since they were taken,” said one mother. “Seeing my child again is the greatest relief.”

The incident is the latest in a series of kidnappings targeting schools and travellers in Nigeria, where criminal gangs frequently abduct victims for ransom. While most large-scale school kidnappings in recent years have occurred in the country’s northwest and north-central regions, security experts warn that the threat has increasingly spread to other parts of Nigeria.

Authorities said security operations have been intensified across Ondo State to prevent further attacks, with additional patrols deployed along major roads and in vulnerable rural communities.

The safe return of the children has eased immediate fears among parents, but many residents are calling for stronger security measures to protect schools and ensure students can attend classes without fear of abduction.