The abducted Vice Principal of Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esiele, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs. Folawe Alamu, has made a passionate appeal to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde and other stakeholders to urgently negotiate with kidnappers holding her, pupils and teachers captive.
In a distress video circulating online on Thursday, the visibly shaken school administrator, seen kneeling and speaking in a weak tone, said the victims had spent about 15 days in the bush since their abduction during coordinated attacks on schools in the Ogbomoso axis of the state.
She said the abductees—including schoolchildren and teachers—had been left at the mercy of harsh weather conditions, with no shelter from rain, scorching sun and cold nights.
“Good morning. Today is the 27th of May, 2026. About 13 days ago we were picked from work and we are still in the bush,” she said in the video.
According to her, the situation has become increasingly dire, warning that the abductors were growing impatient and frustrated over delayed intervention.
“We are begging President Tinubu, Governor Makinde and every other well-meaning Nigerian to please help us. I am calling on the Nigeria Union of Teachers to help us and talk to them. You don’t need force, all you have to do is negotiate with them and release us,” she pleaded.
Mrs. Alamu stressed that the captives were suffering severely in the forest, adding that both children and adults were being exposed to continuous environmental hardship.
“We are in the cold, we are under the sun and inside the rain, the children and adults as well. We are begging you, don’t let them waste our lives,” she added.
In another video released later, the vice principal renewed her appeal, directly warning authorities against any further use of force in rescue attempts, claiming it had aggravated the situation.
She alleged that a previous security operation worsened the fate of the captives and provoked retaliation from the abductors.
“Please I am here again to beg the government, President Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde, to please help us and dialogue with these people,” she said.
“They should not use force. The force they used yesterday has caused us so much harm. It has added to our problems. In fact, one of us has been picked and they are threatening to kill him because government tried to help us by force.”
Her appeal has heightened concerns over the safety of the abducted students and teachers, as uncertainty continues over ongoing rescue efforts.
The abduction incident occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men on motorcycles stormed Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School in Esiele, all in Oriire Local Government Area.
During the coordinated attacks, gunmen killed at least one school administrator and a commercial motorcyclist who reportedly resisted attempts to seize his motorcycle. Several others were taken away, including pupils and teachers.
Governor Makinde had earlier confirmed that 25 students and seven teachers were abducted, while also acknowledging that one of the victims was killed. Reports also indicated that a teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded by the attackers, deepening public outrage.
The Oyo State Government had since declared readiness to engage in negotiations where necessary, while security agencies intensified search-and-rescue operations across forested areas believed to be hideouts of the kidnappers.
President Tinubu, on his part, condemned the attack and directed security agencies to ensure the safe rescue of all abducted victims, assuring federal support for the state in tackling the security crisis.
However, nearly two weeks after the attack, families of the victims and school authorities remain in anguish, with growing fears over the worsening condition of those still in captivity.
The latest distress appeal by the vice principal has further intensified calls for urgent government intervention, as pressure mounts on security agencies to secure the safe release of the abducted schoolchildren and teachers without further loss of life.
