Kidnappers executed two Oyo teachers to put pressure on the government, the head of the rescued school said

The Principal of the Community Secondary School in Oriire Local Government Area of ​​Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has revealed that the two teachers murdered by their kidnappers were deliberately killed in a bid to force the government to comply with the kidnappers’ demands.

Alamu disclosed this on Monday while narrating the ordeal that he, other teachers and scores of schoolchildren endured during their 56 days of captivity after they were officially received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Oyo State Government House following their rescue.

Among those killed in the kidnapping were Mr Michael Oyedokun, a Mathematics teacher who was beheaded while in captivity, and Mr Esiyan Adegboye, 49, who was shot dead in the initial attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area. Adegboye was buried in Ogbomoso on 22 May.

Speaking to journalists, Alamu said the killing was a calculated act and was intended to increase pressure on the authorities to comply with the kidnappers’ demands.

“There were times when we had hope that we would all come out alive. The terrorists killed Mr Michael, the first teacher, on the second day of our kidnapping and Deacon, the second teacher, was killed on the first Sunday of June.

“They killed them on purpose because they thought this would force the government to give them whatever they wanted. They already knew that the whole world was interested in our case. We already have scars, and we believe that God will heal us. We appreciate everyone who contributed to this success.”

The principal also described the harsh conditions the victims endured while being held in the forest, and said that both teachers and pupils spent most of the 56 days exposed to the weather as they struggled to survive.

According to him, the captives lived in the open air, with little protection from the blazing sun and heavy rain, while the teachers worked tirelessly to comfort the frightened children and maintain their hope of being rescued.

Also read: ADC Moves to Supreme Court, Affirms Appeals Court Decision Will Not Affect 2027 Candidates

“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 escaped physical attacks during the ordeal, some of the younger students were repeatedly beaten by the kidnappers whenever they cried or made noise, adding to the trauma they experienced while in captivity.

The rescued teachers and students were formally handed over to the Oyo State Government by the Federal Government after security agencies secured their release.

Video footage shared by Oyo Affairs shows the victims arriving at the State Secretariat under tight security, with military officers escorting them from their vehicles to the government complex.

Their return follows the Federal Government’s announcement on Friday that a coordinated security operation had succeeded in rescuing all the kidnapped students and teachers after more than 50 days of being held hostage.

Prior to the official reception on Monday, the victims had been receiving medical treatment and psychosocial care at the Military Hospital in Ibadan, where Governor Makinde visited them on Saturday as part of efforts to support their recovery from the traumatic experience.