‘They Tied Children’s Mouth, Beat Beaten, Teachers Chained’: Oyo School Principal Recounts 56 Days in Kidnappers’ Den

• The Oyo school principal abducted alongside teachers and pupils has revealed how children were beaten into silence, male teachers were chained, and the victims endured weeks of trekking through forests before their rescue.

The principal of the secondary school abducted alongside teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, has recounted the traumatic 56 days she and the other victims spent in captivity.

Speaking on Monday after she, the rescued teachers, and pupils were received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Government House in Ibadan, Alamu described a terrifying ordeal marked by hunger, fear, and repeated forced movements through forests to evade security operatives.

The victims were kidnapped by armed men on May 15, 2026, and spent nearly two months in the kidnappers’ custody before they were rescued by security agencies.

According to the principal, the captives lived mostly in the open forest, exposed to harsh weather conditions while struggling to care for frightened children.

“We were in the forest, under the sun and rain, with the children. It was only God that kept us going because we believed people were praying for us,” she said.

Alamu disclosed that although she was not physically assaulted, several of the younger pupils were brutally beaten whenever they cried or made noise.

She explained that the kidnappers feared children’s cries could expose their hideouts, prompting them to gag the victims before flogging them.

“The youngest children suffered the most. They would tie their mouths with pieces of cloth and beat them very well because they hated noise,” she recalled.

Despite the harsh conditions, Alamu said none of the victims was sexually assaulted during their time in captivity.

She further revealed that the kidnappers frequently relocated the captives whenever they suspected security operatives were closing in, forcing both adults and children to embark on exhausting nighttime treks through difficult terrain.

According to her, these journeys often began around 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. and lasted between three and four hours, leaving many victims with bruises and injuries.

While the youngest children were occasionally carried by the kidnappers, older pupils had to walk long distances through the forest, often falling repeatedly due to exhaustion.

Alamu also narrated how the victims were transported deep into the forest shortly after the abduction.

She said her vehicle was initially used to convey them before they walked for about an hour to another location, where nearly 10 motorcycles transported them for more than four hours through remote bush paths.

Reflecting on the experience, the veteran educator admitted that returning to work in a rural community would be difficult after the traumatic incident.

“I have served for 28 years and have about four years left before retirement. Going back to a rural area now will take the grace of God,” she said.

She added that the male teachers endured even harsher treatment than the women, revealing that they were blindfolded, handcuffed, and chained throughout much of their captivity.