The rescued principal of Community High School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has said kidnappers killed two teachers to force the government to meet their demands. Mrs Rachael Alamu made the claim on Monday after she and other rescued pupils and teachers were received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the Oyo State Government House following 56 days in captivity.
The victims were among schoolchildren and staff abducted during attacks in Oyo State on 15 May 2026. Nigerian authorities announced on Friday, 10 July, that security forces had rescued at least 39 pupils and six teachers after nearly two months.
Alamu identified the dead teachers as Michael Oyedokun, a mathematics teacher, and Esiyan Adegboye.
Adegboye, aged 49, was reportedly shot dead during the initial attack and was buried in Ogbomoso on 22 May. Oyedokun was later killed in the kidnappers’ camp.
Speaking to journalists, Alamu said the abductors killed the teachers because they believed the deaths would increase pressure on the authorities.
“They killed them purposely because they thought it would force the hand of the government to provide them whatever they wanted,” she said.
She added that the kidnappers were aware that the abduction had attracted national and international attention.
Her account has not been independently confirmed by the kidnappers or investigators. Authorities have also not publicly disclosed the full demands made by the group or whether any ransom was paid.
Alamu said the victims spent much of their 56 days in an open forest, where they faced rain, heat and other harsh conditions.
She said the teachers tried to keep the children alive and emotionally stable while they waited for rescue.
“You can only imagine it. It was not easy. We were in the forest, in the open, most of the time, under the sun and under the rain, with the children,” she said.
Although Alamu said she was not physically assaulted, she alleged that some younger pupils were severely beaten whenever they cried or made noise.
The principal said the captives sometimes believed they would all survive, despite the killing of their colleagues and the difficult conditions in the forest.
“We have scars already, and we believe that God will heal us,” she said, thanking those involved in securing their release.
Before they were handed over to the Oyo State Government, the rescued pupils and teachers received treatment and psychological support at the Military Hospital in Ibadan.
Psychosocial support involves professional help for people dealing with fear, grief, anxiety and other emotional effects of traumatic experiences.
Video footage showed the rescued victims arriving at the state secretariat in a vehicle under military protection. Armed personnel escorted them into the premises.
The government has not released full details of their medical conditions, and the identities of the rescued children have largely been protected because they are minors.
President Bola Tinubu described the operation as a relief for the affected families and the country. The government said security forces ended a standoff lasting more than 50 days.
Officials also said eight suspected militants were arrested during the operation, while an unspecified number were killed. The government has not published evidence establishing the precise role of each suspect, and any person arrested remains innocent unless convicted by a court.
The Oyo abduction caused particular concern because large-scale school kidnappings have historically been more common in northern Nigeria.
Witnesses previously said armed men wearing camouflage attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area and took pupils and teachers into the forest. Reports said some of the children were very young.
Kidnappers frequently target schools because children and teachers attract public attention and can be used to pressure families or governments into paying ransom. However, the authorities have not confirmed the exact group responsible for the Oyo attack.
The priority now is the recovery of the rescued victims and a full investigation into the killings, the abduction and any failures that allowed the gunmen to operate. Families will also expect the government to prosecute those responsible and strengthen security around schools so that pupils can return to learning without fear.