The rescued Principal of Community High School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, has said the teachers killed during their abduction were murdered by the kidnappers to force the government to meet their demands.
Alamu spoke on Monday after she, alongside other rescued pupils and teachers, was received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Oyo State Government House.
The victims regained their freedom after spending 56 days in captivity following their abduction from schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
The teachers killed during the incident were identified as Mathematics teacher, Mr. Michael Oyedokun, who was reportedly beheaded in the kidnappers’ den, and Mr. Esiyan Adegboye, 49, who was said to have been shot dead during the invasion. Adegboye was buried in Ogbomoso on May 22.
Recounting the ordeal, Alamu said the abductees initially believed they would all survive, but the kidnappers deliberately killed the teachers because they believed the killings would put pressure on the government.
“There are times that we have hope that we will all come out alive. The terrorists killed Mr Michael, the first teacher, on the second day of our abduction and Deacon, the second teacher, was killed on the first Sunday of June.
“They killed them purposely because they thought it would force the hand of the government to provide them whatever they wanted. They already knew that the whole world was interested in our case. We have scars already, and we believe that God will heal us. We appreciate everyone that contributed to this success,” she said.
The principal said the victims spent most of their time in captivity in the open forest, exposed to harsh weather conditions while struggling to keep the children alive and calm.
“You can only imagine it. It was not easy. 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.
“We knew it was only God that could help us, and we believed people were praying for us. That kept us going,” she said.
Alamu disclosed that although she was not physically assaulted, several of the younger pupils were beaten whenever they cried or made noise.
The rescued pupils and teachers were handed over to the Oyo State Government by the Federal Government after receiving medical treatment and psychosocial support at the Military Hospital in Ibadan.
A video from the handover showed the victims arriving under heavy security, with military personnel escorting them into the state secretariat.
Their release followed the Federal Government’s announcement that security agencies had secured the freedom of the abducted pupils and teachers after more than 50 days in captivity.
The abduction occurred on May 15 when gunmen attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area, abducting pupils and teachers and killing one of the school officials during the invasion.
President Bola Tinubu had commended security agencies for the rescue operation, while Governor Makinde described the development as a major relief for the affected families and the people of Oyo State.
The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, also visited the rescued pupils and teachers at the Military Hospital.
Alamu’s account gives further details of the trauma suffered by the abductees during their 56 days in captivity and the circumstances surrounding the killing of the teachers.
The post “They Killed Them To Pressure Govt” — Rescued Oyo Principal Recounts 56 Days In Kidnappers’ Den appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.