Head teacher details 56-day captivity in Oyo school abduction
Mrs Alamu, the head teacher of one of the schools affected by the Oriire Local Government Area abduction in Oyo State, has shared harrowing details of the 56 days she and other victims spent in captivity. Speaking after their rescue, she revealed how kidnappers frequently moved victims through forests, forced them to trek for hours, and subjected male captives to harsher treatment including blindfolding and chaining.
Constant movement through forests at night
Mrs Alamu explained that the kidnappers relocated the victims whenever they suspected security agencies had discovered their location. “When the place is discovered, we have to move. We just start around 7 or 8 in the night. Sometimes we walked for four hours. That is most of the bruises you see on our bodies,” she said. The constant movement through unfamiliar forest paths, mostly at night, was one of the most difficult aspects of their ordeal.
Children given biscuits initially, then food stopped
According to the head teacher, the kidnappers initially provided biscuits to the children during the first week of captivity. “When we started the first week, we were bringing biscuits for them, maybe to make them comfortable. But along the line, that stopped.” The younger children struggled with the long journeys, and some had to be carried by adults. Mrs Alamu mentioned that younger pupils including Salam, Waliyat and Testimony were carried during parts of the journey, while older children walked.
Male victims blindfolded, tied and chained
The head teacher revealed that male victims experienced tougher conditions. “The men, they had it worse than us, because they were blindfolded and caught and chained.” She confirmed there was no reported case of sexual molestation during the captivity. Mrs Alamu also narrated how the victims were moved into the forest after abduction: her vehicle was initially used to transport some, then they continued on foot. The group later met primary school pupils and their teacher, trekking for more than four hours through forest paths controlled by the kidnappers.
Impact on teacher after 28 years of service
Mrs Alamu said the experience had deeply affected her after spending 28 years teaching in rural communities. She explained she was close to retirement but the traumatic ordeal left her uncertain about returning to similar environments. The pupils and teachers were abducted on May 15 after gunmen attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area, including Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, Esiele, and LA Primary School, Ahoro-Esiele.
Rescue operation and aftermath
After 56 days in captivity, the victims were rescued in a coordinated security operation involving the Nigerian Army and other security agencies. They were taken to a military medical facility in Ibadan for medical checks and psychological evaluation before being handed over to the Oyo State Government for rehabilitation and reunification with their families. The rescue operation came at a cost: the Nigerian Army confirmed the death of 28-year-old Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac, who was killed during the mission.
