A teacher rescued after spending 56 days in captivity in Oyo State, Zacchaeus Olatunde, has claimed that he and other abducted teachers and pupils were released by their captors before security personnel later escorted them to safety.
Speaking during a telephone interview with Nigeria Info FM, Olatunde recounted the ordeal, saying the victims were kept blindfolded throughout their captivity and had no idea where they were being held.
According to him, the kidnappers spoke Hausa, Nupe, English, and Yoruba, and identified themselves as members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), insisting they were not Boko Haram.
Olatunde said the captives were fed twice daily with simple meals but were initially forbidden from praying. After about a month, they were allowed to pray on the condition that they did not mention the name of Jesus or pray aloud.
He explained that the kidnappers unexpectedly announced their freedom after 56 days, directing them to leave the camp. The victims trekked for nearly an hour before the abductors arranged motorcycles to take them closer to a nearby village. They then walked further until they met government security personnel.
The teacher said the group was initially afraid of the security officials because they spoke Hausa and arrived in unmarked buses with Arabic inscriptions. However, the officers repeatedly assured them they had been sent by the government.
Olatunde also described helping younger pupils cross rivers during the journey to safety and revealed that he was captured because arthritis in his left leg prevented him from escaping when the attackers invaded the school.
He added that the kidnappers gave him medication for the arthritis, which he said surprisingly eased the pain.
Despite regaining his freedom, Olatunde said he has not received any financial assistance, noting that his greatest concern is support for his school.
The teachers and pupils were abducted in May after armed men attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. Following their release, Governor Seyi Makinde confirmed that the victims had regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity and directed that they receive medical treatment and psychosocial support. The governor also called for a United Nations-backed investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abduction.
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