A teacher rescued after spending 56 days in captivity following the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has revealed why two of their colleagues were killed by the kidnappers.
Speaking on Monday during the handover of the rescued victims to Governor Seyi Makinde in Ibadan, the rescuee said the abductors deliberately killed the teachers to pressure the government into meeting their demands.
"They killed them purposely because they felt that would force the government to give them whatever they wanted," the teacher said.
According to the rescuee, Mr. Michael was killed on the second day of their captivity, while another teacher identified as Deacon was murdered on the first Sunday in June.
The victims were among 46 pupils and teachers kidnapped on May 15 after armed men attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and LA Primary School in Oriire LGA.
They regained their freedom last Friday after spending 56 days in captivity.
The rescuee described the conditions in captivity as harsh, saying the victims stayed mostly in the open forest where they were exposed to both rain and scorching sunshine.
"We were in the forest, in the open most of the time, under the sun, under the rain. We knew it was God that could really help us, and we believed people were praying for us," the teacher said.
The rescuee also disclosed that several children were repeatedly beaten, especially the youngest among them, because the kidnappers feared their cries would expose their hideout.
"The youngest of them were the ones who received the worst beatings. They would cover their mouths with clothes and beat them severely," the teacher said.
According to the rescuee, the male captives endured even harsher treatment.
"The men had it worse than us because they were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained on the legs," the teacher added.
The rescuee said the kidnappers frequently moved the victims from one forest location to another whenever they suspected security operatives were closing in on them.
Governor Seyi Makinde, while receiving the rescued victims, called on the United Nations and international human rights organisations to investigate the mass abduction.
He said Nigerians deserve a transparent account of what happened, including those responsible, any institutional failures, and measures to prevent similar attacks.
"This is not about politics. It is about justice for the victims, reassurance for our people, and restoring public confidence that every Nigerian child can go to school without fear," Makinde said.
