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Fresh details have emerged about the ordeal of pupils and teachers recently rescued after spending 56 days in captivity following their abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Relatives of one of the rescued pupils said the children survived largely on garri without sugar and were repeatedly beaten by their captors whenever they asked to see or speak about their families. The emotional account came during an interview after the victims reunited with their loved ones following last week’s rescue operation by security agencies.
According to the family, the child identified as Taiwo has continued to recount the traumatic experience since returning home. They said the abductors subjected the children to physical abuse and harsh conditions in the forest, often punishing them whenever they mentioned their relatives. Another family member described how one of the rescued children clung tightly to relatives and appeared terrified at the sight of unfamiliar people, while another initially wanted to run back into the bush because of the trauma endured in captivity.
The latest testimonies add to earlier accounts from the school’s principal, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, who revealed that the kidnappers beat younger children whenever they cried, forced both pupils and teachers to trek long distances through forests at night, and kept male teachers blindfolded, handcuffed and chained throughout the 56-day ordeal. All the abducted pupils and teachers regained their freedom after a coordinated rescue operation by Nigerian security agencies, and authorities say efforts are now focused on providing the victims with medical care and psychosocial support to aid their recovery.
