Oyo school abduction: Principal recounts 56-day ordeal inside forest

The Principal of Community High School, Esiele, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, has recounted the harrowing 56 day ordeal she, her pupils and fellow teachers endured in the hands of kidnappers, revealing that the children were repeatedly beaten and forced to embark on long treks through dense forests at night to evade security forces.

Mrs. Alamu made the disclosure on Monday during the formal handover of the rescued victims to Governor Seyi Makinde at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, days after security operatives successfully rescued them from captivity.

The victims, who were abducted during coordinated attacks on three schools in Oriire on May 15, spent nearly two months in captivity before regaining their freedom in an intelligence driven joint military operation. The rescue brought to an end one of the most disturbing school abductions ever recorded in South West Nigeria. Blueprint reports

Children beaten for crying

Speaking emotionally about their experience, Mrs. Alamu said the abductors subjected the youngest children to severe physical abuse whenever they cried or made noise, fearing the sounds could expose their location to security personnel.

According to her, the children endured the worst form of punishment throughout their captivity.

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

Although she escaped physical assault herself, she disclosed that several pupils were repeatedly beaten during the period they remained in the forest.

She noted that keeping the frightened children calm became one of the greatest challenges for the teachers, who constantly encouraged them despite the uncertainty surrounding their fate.

Endless movement through forests

Mrs. Alamu further narrated that the captives were rarely allowed to remain in one location for long.

She explained that whenever the kidnappers suspected that security personnel were drawing close to their hideouts, they immediately forced everyone to relocate under the cover of darkness.

According to her, the movements usually commenced around 7:00 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. and continued for several hours through thick forests and rough terrain.

The exhausting journeys, she said, left many of the victims with bruises, swollen legs and other injuries.

The principal described the experience as physically draining, particularly for the younger pupils who struggled to keep pace with the adults while carrying virtually no food or personal belongings.

Male teachers chained

Mrs. Alamu disclosed that while the female victims were spared some of the harshest punishments, the male teachers endured much more brutal treatment.

She revealed that they were blindfolded, handcuffed and had chains fastened to their legs throughout a significant part of their captivity.

Despite the harsh conditions, she expressed gratitude that none of the female teachers or pupils was sexually assaulted during the ordeal.

She attributed their survival to divine intervention and the determination of both the victims and security personnel who worked tirelessly to secure their freedom.

Gratitude to security agencies

The visibly emotional principal thanked God, the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies for their eventual rescue.

She also appreciated Governor Seyi Makinde, President Bola Tinubu and Nigerians who continued to pray for their safe return throughout the 56 day ordeal.

“We survived because of God’s mercy and the efforts of everyone who refused to give up on us,” she said.

The rescued victims have since undergone medical examinations, psychological evaluation and psychosocial support before being reunited with the Oyo State Government for rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities.

A rescue after weeks of painstaking intelligence

The successful operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering involving several security agencies.

According to military authorities, the operation targeted the kidnappers’ network and hideouts around the Old Oyo National Park after more than a month of surveillance and intelligence driven operations.

The rescue involved personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy Special Forces, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Intelligence Agency, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and vigilantes operating under the coordination of the Office of the National Security Adviser. Eight suspected kidnappers were arrested during the operation, while several others were neutralised. Authorities also dismissed reports that the government negotiated a prisoner swap with the abductors.

Abduction that shocked the South West

The victims were abducted on May 15 when heavily armed gunmen invaded Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community High School, Ahoro Esiele, and L.A. Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area.

The attackers killed at least one teacher during the assault before marching dozens of pupils and teachers into the forest.

The incident sent shockwaves across the country because mass school kidnappings had largely been associated with northern Nigeria, making the Oriire attack one of the first major school abductions in the South West. The incident triggered protests by parents, civil society organisations and labour unions, while the Nigeria Union of Teachers embarked on industrial action to demand the safe return of their colleagues and pupils.

Renewed concerns over school security

Although the rescue has been widely celebrated, the Oriire abduction has renewed concerns over the safety of schools across Nigeria.

Security analysts have warned that criminal groups are increasingly extending their operations beyond the country’s traditional conflict zones, underscoring the need for stronger intelligence gathering, improved protection for schools and sustained security presence around vulnerable communities.

For the rescued pupils and teachers, however, the priority now is recovery.

As they begin the difficult process of healing from weeks of trauma, authorities say continued medical care, counselling and community support will be critical to helping them rebuild their lives after one of the most painful experiences they have ever endured.