A teacher who regained freedom after spending 56 days in captivity following the abduction of pupils and staff from a school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has shared details of the victims’ ordeal, claiming the kidnappers released them before security personnel later escorted them home.
Speaking during a telephone interview with Nigeria Info FM, Zacchaeus Olatunde said the captives were blindfolded throughout their time in captivity, leaving them unaware of their exact location.
“We didn’t even know if we were in Nigeria or another country,” he said.
According to Olatunde, the victims feared they had been abandoned, believing the government had forgotten about them as the days passed.
He alleged that the abductors communicated in Hausa, Nupe, English and Yoruba, and claimed to be members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
“They said they are not Boko Haram. They said they are ISWAP,” Olatunde recounted.
The teacher also described the conditions in captivity, saying the victims were fed twice daily, usually with rice, beans and other basic meals.
He further alleged that the kidnappers initially prohibited them from praying. According to him, they were later allowed to pray after about a month but were instructed not to mention the name of Jesus or pray aloud.
Olatunde said their release came after the group’s commander informed them they were free and told them to thank God for their release.
He explained that the victims walked for about one hour before they were transported on motorcycles to an area near a village, where they eventually encountered security personnel.
According to him, the security officials then escorted the rescued victims back home.
“The people who abducted us released us before soldiers took us home.”
— A rescued Oyo State teacher recounts the ordeal following their release pic.twitter.com/BVnCsh8WJr— NaijaWide Media (@Naijawide01) July 19, 2026
