The Senate has revealed the identities of three security personnel — Lieutenant F.A. Isaac of the Nigerian Army, Private Silas Musa of the 81 Battalion and Sergeant Abena John Jerome of the Nigeria Police Force — who paid the ultimate price during the military operation that rescued abducted pupils and teachers from terrorists in Oyo State’s Oriire Local Government Area.
The children came home. Three men did not.
As Nigeria celebrated the rescue of pupils and teachers held for 56 days by terrorists in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, the Senate this week put names to the human cost of the operation that made their freedom possible.
According to Daily Trust,the fallen were identified as Lieutenant F.A. Isaac of the Nigerian Army, Private Silas Musa of the 81 Battalion Nigerian Army, and Sergeant Abena John Jerome of the Nigeria Police Force. Lance Corporal Adamu Hussain of the 81 Battalion survived after sustaining injuries during the mission.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who led the tribute, said the rescue followed an intelligence-driven operation launched after President Tinubu directed security agencies to mobilise all available resources. Eight suspected terrorists were arrested, several others neutralised — but one teacher was killed by the kidnappers before freedom arrived.
For the family of Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac, the grief is still raw. His father, Isaac Alabura, a retired Master Warrant Officer speaking to Daily Trust at his home in Yola, Adamawa State, described his son as “the hope of the family and the community.”
“His life was cut short at a time we expected him to achieve greater things,” Alabura said.
The family’s pain was compounded by how they received the news — with neither military authorities nor the Oyo State Government formally briefing them on the circumstances of his death. Alabura revealed that Lt. Isaac had only recently returned from training at the Nigerian Defence Academy in Jaji and was preparing for a new posting in Sokoto when he was redirected at 3:00 p.m. to lead the rescue operation in Oyo.
“He was instead directed to lead the rescue operation in Oyo,” his father said.
The family has appealed to military authorities and the Oyo State Government to support them, noting that their son paid the ultimate price in service to Nigeria.
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