Rescued teacher Zacchaeus Olatunde has stirred controversy by claiming that kidnappers released him and other victims after 56 days in captivity, before security personnel escorted them home. He shared shocking details of their ordeal during a telephone interview on Nigeria Info FM.
Contradicting Official Rescue Narrative
Olatunde stated that contrary to the public impression that security forces rescued them directly from the kidnappers, they were actually released first by their captors. “Until the last day when their commander came and was smiling and laughing and said we should thank God that we had been freed. The next thing they said was that we should open our eyes,” he said.
The teacher added that they had been blindfolded throughout the 56 days, making it impossible to know their location. “It is difficult to say on air, but I will just say what I can. When we were there, we were blindfolded, not an ordinary blindfold. We didn’t even know if we were in Nigeria or another country. We were just there. We were saying maybe the government had even forgotten us.”
Abductors Identified as ISWAP
Olatunde claimed the abductors spoke Hausa, Nupe, Yoruba, and English, and repeatedly told the captives they were members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), not Boko Haram. “They said they are not Boko Haram. They said they are ISWAP. I was the last person who was captured in the school and I was the last person that was released.”
He described harsh conditions in captivity, including no bathing for 56 days, restricted prayers, and basic meals. “For the 56 days, we the teachers did not bathe. We did not wash our clothes.” Initially, the kidnappers banned them from praying. “When we got there, they told us not to pray. After about a month, they allowed us to pray, but they warned us not to mention the name of Jesus and not to pray aloud.”
Feeding and Delayed Release
Despite the harsh conditions, Olatunde acknowledged that the kidnappers fed them twice daily. “In terms of feeding, those people really tried for us, to be sincere. Right from the day we were abducted, they told us on the way that if we cooperated and the government cooperated, there would be no problem. We were fed twice a day, morning and evening. We ate only rice, little beans, onions, margarine and salt. Throughout our stay there, we did not taste pepper.”
His release was delayed because the key to his handcuffs broke. “When they released us, everybody had gone. They said I could not carry the handcuff home because the key had broken. One of them suggested they should cut off my hand, but another said no. They later used a small rope to remove the handcuff.” He added that the commander called him back at gunpoint, making him fear for his life, but eventually showed him the correct route.
Journey to Freedom
The freed teacher said the group trekked for nearly an hour before motorcycles provided by the kidnappers transported them closer to a village. From there, they walked for another one and a half hours until they met security personnel. “We trekked for about 40 minutes to one hour before they provided motorcycles that took us close to the nearest village. They later stopped and told us they could not go further, so we trekked for another one and a half hours before we got to where the government people who came to rescue us were.”
He admitted they were initially afraid of the security personnel because they spoke Hausa and arrived in buses without number plates. “When we saw the buses, we were afraid because the people were speaking Hausa. We even asked them to show us their identity cards. They kept assuring us that the government sent them. The buses had no number plates and had Arabic inscriptions. We were afraid they wanted to take us somewhere else.”
Personal Ordeal and Aftermath
Recalling his abduction, Olatunde said arthritis prevented him from escaping. “I had arthritis on my left leg and couldn’t run. I hid under the grass because my clothes blended with it. A student who refused to leave me looked in my direction, and that was how their commander noticed me and ordered me to stand up.” He claimed the medication given by the kidnappers unexpectedly relieved his arthritis. “The leg that I had spent so much money treating got better after they gave me one drug.”
Despite surviving the ordeal, Olatunde said he has not received any financial assistance since returning home. “The utmost support for now should be for my school.”
Government Reactions
The teachers and pupils were abducted in May 2026 after armed men invaded schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. After their release, Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed they had regained their freedom after 56 days and called for a United Nations-backed investigation. However, the Presidency, through Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, faulted the call, insisting Nigeria's military and security agencies had already explained how the victims regained their freedom.
