The principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, says she is uncertain about returning to her post following the traumatic experience of spending 56 days in captivity after being abducted.
According to a Tribune report published on Monday, July 13, 2026, Alamu spoke after she and other rescued teachers and pupils were officially received by Governor Seyi Makinde in Ibadan.
She said the emotional impact of the ordeal has left her undecided about resuming duties at the school, where she had worked before the kidnapping.
Addressing public reactions to her inquiry about her vehicle after regaining freedom, Alamu explained that she initially believed security operatives had recovered it because she assumed the kidnappers abandoned it at the scene of the attack. She later learned that the abductors had driven the vehicle away before setting it ablaze, and photographs shown to her confirmed it had been completely destroyed.
Reflecting on her career, Alamu said she has spent 28 years in the teaching profession and has four years left before retirement. She noted that commuting to the remote school had always been challenging and that the kidnapping has made the prospect of returning even more difficult.
Alamu also recounted the conditions during their captivity, alleging that the abductors treated both teachers and pupils harshly. She said children were beaten whenever they made noise, while male teachers were blindfolded and restrained with chains. She added that the captives were repeatedly forced to undertake long nighttime walks through the forest as the kidnappers attempted to evade security operatives.
The victims were abducted on May 15, 2026, and rescued by security agencies after nearly two months in captivity. Following their release, they underwent medical examinations and psychosocial rehabilitation at the Military Hospital in Ibadan before being handed over to the Oyo State Government.
Alamu expressed gratitude to the government, security agencies, and Nigerians for their prayers and support, saying she hopes to recover gradually from the experience.
