A survivor of the May 2026 Orire school abduction in Oyo State has told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the victims were subjected to severe hardship during their 56 days in captivity, including being fed only when their abductors deemed it convenient.
The witness, identified in court as AAA, gave evidence during the ongoing trial of five men accused by the Department of State Services (DSS) of involvement in the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire Local Government Area.
During cross-examination by defence counsel Bala Dakum on Friday, September 18, AAA said the abductors controlled when the victims received food despite the presence of very young children, including children as young as 18 months.
Her testimony followed evidence given on Thursday in which she described how the victims were moved between different locations, slept in harsh conditions and suffered severe hunger and thirst during the 56-day ordeal. She also told the court that the victims were sometimes forced to share limited quantities of water.
The witness said the experience left the victims seriously traumatised, both during their captivity and after their rescue by security operatives.
She also confirmed that the abductors took possession of the victims’ mobile phones and used them to contact government officials as part of their demands. However, she told the court that she did not know the telephone numbers of the government officials who were contacted.
AAA further testified that after the victims were rescued, she was questioned by DSS personnel both at the agency’s office and while receiving treatment in hospital.
Under questioning, she said three of the five defendants currently standing trial were with the victims in the forest during their captivity. She said she came to know the other two defendants later, during her interrogation at the DSS office.
The witness also told the court that two teachers, Michael Oyedokun and John Olaleye, were killed at separate camps during the captivity.
She said Oyedokun was killed at Camp A, while Olaleye was killed at Camp B.
However, AAA made it clear that she was not present when either teacher was beheaded and therefore could not identify the specific individuals who carried out the killings.
The Federal Government alleges that the five defendants are members of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) and were involved in the May 15 attack in which pupils and teachers were abducted from schools in Oriire LGA. The defendants are Mahmud Muhammad, Abubakar Abbas, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani. They have pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.
The abduction lasted 56 days, with the victims eventually rescued during a joint security operation in July. The military said the operation involved intelligence gathering and efforts targeting the kidnappers’ network and hideouts.
The court, presided over by Justice Salim Ibrahim, has adjourned the case until October 12 and 13, 2026, when proceedings are expected to continue.
The allegations against the defendants remain before the court, and they are presumed innocent unless found guilty by the court.
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