Why Kidnappers Killed Abducted Oyo Teachers — Rescued Principal

The rescued principal of Community High School, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has revealed that the kidnappers who abducted her, teachers and pupils deliberately killed two teachers to pressure the government into meeting their demands.

Speaking with journalists on Monday after she and the other rescued victims were received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Government House in Ibadan, Alamu recounted their 56-day ordeal in captivity.

According to her, the abductors murdered Mathematics teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, on the second day of their captivity, while another teacher, Mr Esiyan Adegboye, popularly known as Deacon, 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,” she said.

Adegboye was reportedly shot during the attack on the school before later dying from his injuries. He was buried in Ogbomoso on May 22, while Oyedokun was beheaded in the kidnappers’ camp.

Alamu described life in captivity as traumatic, saying the victims spent most of the period in the open forest, exposed to harsh weather conditions while struggling to care for the children.

“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,” she said.

She explained that although she was not physically assaulted, several of the younger pupils were severely beaten whenever they cried or made noise.

The principal expressed gratitude to God and everyone who contributed to their rescue, saying prayers sustained them throughout the ordeal.

The Federal Government officially handed over the rescued teachers and pupils to the Oyo State Government on Monday after security agencies secured their freedom.

Before the handover, the victims received medical attention and psychosocial support at the Military Hospital in Ibadan, where Governor Seyi Makinde visited them. The All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the state, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, also paid them a visit.