The principal of the secondary school abducted alongside teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs. Racheal Alamu, has narrated the traumatic experience she and others endured during their 56 days in captivity, revealing that children were beaten into silence, male teachers were chained and blindfolded, while the victims were repeatedly forced to trek through forests at night to avoid security operatives.
Mrs. Alamu spoke on Monday after she, alongside the rescued teachers and pupils, was formally received by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.
Recounting the ordeal, she said the victims spent most of their time in the open forest, exposed to harsh weather conditions without shelter while trying to care for the children and remain hopeful of rescue.
“You can only imagine it. 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.
“We knew it was only God that could help us, and we believed people were praying for us. That kept us going,” she said.
According to the principal, although she was not physically assaulted, several of the younger pupils were subjected to severe beatings whenever they cried or made noise.
She explained that the kidnappers feared that noise from the children could expose their location to security agencies.
“Personally, I was not beaten, but some of the children were beaten. What they hated most was noise because they believed it could attract attention.
“The youngest children suffered the most. They would tie their mouths with pieces of cloth and beat them very well,” she disclosed.
Mrs. Alamu further revealed that the male teachers experienced harsher treatment throughout the period in captivity.
“The men had it worse than us. They were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained on their legs,” she said.
Despite the difficult conditions, the principal stated that none of the victims suffered any form of sexual abuse during the period they were held.
“There was no form of molestation,” she added.
She also explained that the kidnappers frequently relocated the victims whenever they suspected security operatives had discovered their hideouts.
According to her, the captives were forced to embark on long and exhausting nighttime journeys through thick forests, often lasting several hours.
“When the place was discovered, we had to move, and that usually started around seven or eight at night. Sometimes we walked for three to four hours. That is why you see bruises on our bodies,” she said.
While the youngest children were carried by the abductors, older pupils were compelled to walk despite repeatedly falling because of exhaustion and the difficult terrain.
“The younger ones were carried, but the older children had to walk. They fell many times. It was very difficult,” she recalled.
Mrs. Alamu also narrated how the victims were initially moved deeper into the forest shortly after the abduction.
“My car was used to convey us to a point where we met the primary school pupils and their teacher.
“From there, we walked for about one hour before they brought motorcycles. About 10 motorcycles were used to move us for more than four hours through bush paths they knew very well,” she explained.
Reflecting on the impact of the experience, the school principal admitted that the incident had changed her perception of working in remote communities.
Having spent nearly three decades in the teaching profession, she said returning to rural postings would now require extraordinary courage.
“I have worked for 28 years and I have just about four years to retire. Going to rural areas now will take the grace of God.
“Before this happened, I had already sacrificed a lot because of the distance. Now, coupled with this experience, I don’t know what will happen. I want to see my husband. When I get home, I can think of every other thing,” she said.
