The principal of Ahoro Esinle School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has explained why one of her first questions after regaining freedom was about her car, saying she initially believed it had been recovered by the police before learning it had been burnt by her abductors.
Alamu spoke on Monday after she and the rescued teachers and pupils were formally handed over to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan.
Her explanation followed reactions to a remark she made shortly after regaining freedom, in which she asked about the vehicle she was driving on the day she and dozens of pupils and teachers were abducted.
“What actually happened is I thought they left the car there. The police would have towed the car to their office.
“But somebody showed me the car where it was burnt, and that was not the part we took. So I thought… I think they drove it to that point before it was burnt.
“That was not the way we took,” she said.
Asked whether the traumatic experience would affect her career as a teacher, Alamu said she hoped time would help her recover, although she remained uncertain about returning to work under the same conditions.
“With time, I’ve worked for 28 years, so I have four years. With time, maybe I can get over it.
“But going that far, the distance between that place… is far already. So I sacrifice a lot when it comes to transportation. Now coupled with this, I don’t know what will happen,” she said.
Earlier on Monday, Alamu also recounted the victims’ 56-day ordeal in captivity, revealing that children were beaten into silence, male teachers were chained and blindfolded, while the captives were repeatedly forced to undertake dangerous nighttime treks through forests to evade security operatives.
The victims were abducted by gunmen from Ahoro Esinle School on May 15, 2026, and spent more than 50 days in captivity before security agencies secured their release.
The Federal Government announced their rescue on Friday, after which the pupils and teachers were admitted to the Military Hospital in Ibadan for medical treatment and psychosocial support before being formally handed over to the Oyo State Government on Monday.
(Punch)
