Principal Describes 56 Days of Forest Captivity
Mrs Rachael Alamu, the principal of a secondary school abducted along with teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, has detailed the brutal conditions endured during 56 days in captivity. Speaking on Monday, July 13, 2026, after the rescued victims were formally presented to Governor Seyi Makinde at the Governor's Office in Ibadan, Alamu described a grim ordeal of beatings, forced night marches, and exposure to the elements in an open forest.
According to Alamu, the captives spent most of their time outdoors, suffering under sun and rain while trying to keep the children calm. She stated, "We were in the forest, in the open, most of the time, under the sun and under the rain, with the children. But we kept going because there was no way out." The principal noted that faith and the belief that people were praying for them sustained the group throughout.
Harsh Treatment of Youngest Children
The harshest treatment fell on the youngest children, who were beaten and gagged whenever they made noise. Alamu explained, "What they hated most was noise because they believed it could attract attention. The youngest children suffered the most. They would tie their mouths with pieces of cloth and beat them very well." She confirmed that none of the victims was sexually assaulted during the captivity.
While Alamu was not physically assaulted, male members of the group faced severe cruelty. "The men had it worse than us. They were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained on their legs," she said. Each time the kidnappers suspected their location had been identified by security forces, the entire group was forced to relocate under darkness. "When the place was discovered, we had to move, and that usually started around seven or eight at night. Sometimes we walked for three to four hours. That is why you see bruises on our bodies."
Night Treks and Rescue Operation
The youngest children were carried by their captors, while older pupils had to complete exhausting treks on foot. "They fell many times. It was very difficult," Alamu recalled. She also described the initial hours after abduction, when her car was used to transport the group to a point where they joined primary school pupils and their teacher. From there, roughly ten motorcycles ferried the captives for more than four hours along bush paths before they were taken deeper into the forest on foot.
Alamu, who has 28 years of teaching experience and approximately four years until retirement, acknowledged that returning to a rural posting would now require extraordinary resolve. "Going to rural areas now will take the grace of God," she said.
According to Bayo Onanuga, eight kidnappers were arrested and handed over to the Department of State Services (DSS) following a rescue operation that freed the abducted schoolchildren. Security agencies neutralized some of the kidnappers during the operation, and a kingpin whose release was demanded by the abductors remains under prosecution. Onanuga stated that the government made no concessions to secure the release and that a full security briefing would follow.
Family of Slain Teacher Reacts
Meanwhile, the family of Michael Olugbade Oyedokun, killed during the Oriire school abduction, reacted after rescued pupils and teachers were freed on Friday. Oyedokun's niece, Oluwabukolami, said her family could not celebrate alongside others because her uncle would never return home. Oyedokun and fellow teacher Esiyan Adegboye were killed when gunmen raided three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15.
