Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the principal abducted alongside teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has described the harrowing conditions they endured in captivity, including hunger, fear, and constant threats from their captors.
According to a Punch report published on Monday, July 27, 2026, Alamu shared her experience during a thanksgiving service, explaining that the kidnappers avoided cooking because they feared smoke would reveal their location to security operatives.
She said the hostages were repeatedly warned against making noise, with the kidnappers threatening to kill anyone whose actions exposed the camp.
“They would say, ‘Mama Principal, tell them we are ready to sacrifice any one of them if they make noise. They cannot kill all of us.’ How do you tell a one-year, three-month-old baby not to cry? How do you tell a two-year-old that you must not ask for food? They were not free to prepare food because they were afraid the smoke would give them away. So we went hungry most of the time,” Alamu said.
She added that the experience highlighted the harsh realities faced by kidnap victims and expressed gratitude to God for preserving the lives of everyone held captive despite the ordeal.
