The Principal of Community High School, Esiele, Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has revealed that the kidnappers who held her and other teachers and pupils captive for 56 days killed two of their colleagues in a bid to pressure the government into meeting their demands.

Mrs. Alamu spoke on Monday during the official handover of the rescued victims to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde by the Nigerian Army.

She described their time in captivity as a painful ordeal filled with fear, uncertainty and repeated threats to their lives.

“We’re grateful to God. On May 15, a Friday that started well ended in chaos for us, and for 56 days we were in the bush. It was a harrowing experience, but we thank God for seeing us through. We went through a lot,” she said.

She said the abductors constantly subjected the victims to psychological torture, repeatedly telling them that the government had abandoned them and was no longer interested in securing their release.

“A relief to us is that Nigerians were praying for us. Many times, they used fear to subdue us. At one point they told us the government wasn’t interested in our case anymore because they didn’t value us. But there were times we held on to hope that we would come out alive,” she recalled.

According to the principal, the kidnappers eventually killed two of the captives to increase pressure on the authorities.

“Mr. Michael was killed on the second day, while Deacon was killed on the first Sunday in June. They killed them purposely because they felt that would force the government to give them whatever they wanted,” she said.

She added that the victims only realised after regaining their freedom that many Nigerians had been following their ordeal and praying for their safe return.

“It was until we got out that we discovered the whole world was on our case. We have scars already, but we believe with time we will heal,” she said.

Alamu also thanked President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, the security agencies involved in the rescue operation and Nigerians who supported them with prayers throughout their captivity.

The victims were kidnapped on May 15 after armed bandits attacked Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and LA Primary School in Ogbomoso, all located in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. (Nigerian Tribune)