Rescued Oyo School principal details horrors of 56 days in captivity, says ‘they gagged crying children, chained male teachers’

The Principal of the Community Secondary School in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has narrated the traumatic experience she and dozens of abducted teachers and pupils underwent during their 56-day captivity, revealing that the kidnappers gagged the mouths of young children, brutally beat them to keep them quiet, and chained the male teachers while moving the captives from one forest hideout to another.

Alamu spoke on Monday after he, along with the rescued teachers and students, were officially received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Governor’s Office at the Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan.

The victims were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, when gunmen attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area before they were finally rescued in a coordinated security operation after nearly two months of being held hostage.

Recalling the ordeal, the principal described conditions in the kidnappers’ camp as extremely poor, and said that the captives spent almost all their time in the open jungle, exposed to the weather with little protection from the hot sun or heavy rain.

“You can only imagine it. It wasn’t easy. We were in the forest, in the open, most of the time, in the hot sun and in the rain, with the children. But we kept going because there was no way out.

“We know only God can help us, and we believe people are praying for us. That keeps us going,” he said.

Alamu revealed that although he was spared physical attacks, many younger students were subjected to severe punishment whenever they cried or made noise, as the kidnappers were afraid of attracting the attention of security personnel.

“Personally, I was not hit, but there were several children who were hit, what they hated the most was noise because they believed it could attract attention.

Also read: Kidnappers execute two Oyo teachers to pressure government, rescued school principal says

“The youngest children suffered the most. They tied their mouths with cloth and beat them very cruelly,” he said.

Despite the brutality they experienced, the principal said none of the victims experienced sexual abuse during their captivity.

“There was no form of abuse,” he added.

He explained that kidnappers often moved captives whenever they suspected their hiding places had been compromised, forcing adults and children to undertake grueling night treks through dense forests.

“When the place is found, we have to move, and usually it starts around seven or eight in the evening. Sometimes we walk for three to four hours. That’s why we see bruises on our bodies,” he said.

According to Alamu, while the youngest children were carried by the kidnappers during the journey, the older children had to endure the tiring journey on foot.

“The small one was carried, but the bigger one had to walk. He fell many times. It was very difficult,” he said.

The principal also recounted how the victims were transported into the forest immediately after the abduction, describing carefully coordinated movements designed to complicate rescue efforts.

“My car was used to take us to a point where we met the elementary school students and their teachers.

“From there, we walked for about an hour before they brought the motorbikes. About 10 motorbikes were used to move us for more than four hours through bush paths they knew well,” he recalled.

Reflecting on the psychological impact of the experience, Alamu acknowledged that returning to work in a rural community would be a difficult decision after nearly three decades in the teaching profession.

“I’ve worked for 28 years and have four years left to retire. Going to the country now is a Godsend.

“Before this happened, I had sacrificed a lot because of distance. Now, coupled with this experience, I don’t know what will happen. I want to meet my husband. When I get home, I can think about other things,” she said.

He further revealed that male members of the group experienced harsher treatment than women, and said that they were restrained for most of their detention.

“The men were in worse conditions than us. They were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained at their feet,” he said.

The rescued teachers and students are currently receiving medical attention and psychosocial support as they begin the recovery process from one of the most traumatic school kidnappings recorded in Oyo State in recent years.