The Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, Mrs. Alamu Folawe, has recounted the horrific 56-day captivity she endured alongside abducted teachers and pupils in Oyo State, revealing that their kidnappers executed two of their colleagues to pressure the government into meeting their demands.
Folawe made the disclosure on Monday during the official handover of the rescued victims to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde by the Nigerian Army, describing their ordeal as one marked by fear, psychological torture and the constant threat of death.
Recalling the day they were abducted, the principal said what began as an ordinary school day quickly turned into a nightmare that left them stranded in the forest for nearly two months.
“We’re grateful to God. On May 15, a Friday that began like every other day ended in chaos. We spent 56 days in the bush.
“It was a terrible experience, but we thank God for preserving our lives. We went through so much,” she said.
Folawe disclosed that the kidnappers repeatedly subjected the captives to psychological abuse, telling them that the government had abandoned them and had no interest in securing their freedom.
According to her, the abductors constantly sought to crush their morale by convincing them they had been forgotten.
“What gave us hope was knowing that Nigerians were praying for us. Many times, they tried to break our spirit with fear.
“They kept telling us the government didn’t care about us because we were not important. But despite everything, we held on to the hope that we would return home alive,” she recalled.
The rescued principal revealed that the kidnappers eventually carried out their threats by killing two members of the group in a desperate attempt to force the authorities to yield to their demands.
“They killed two of our colleagues just to pressure the government,” she disclosed.
Her emotional account came as the Nigerian Army formally handed over the rescued teachers and pupils to the Oyo State Government after a 56-day intelligence-led operation that secured their freedom from captivity.
The victims are currently receiving medical attention and psychological support as authorities begin efforts to help them recover from the traumatic experience.
