“We Were Released Before Security Came”: Teacher Recounts Oyo Captivity Ordeal
A teacher who was released with children after being abducted with schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has revealed the anguish of children during the abductions, which has left a deep impression on them.
In a radio interview, Zacchaeus Olatunde said the abducted children and teachers were kept blindfolded during the abductions and could not identify the location of the abductions. But the group was hopeful they would make it back home safely, he said.
Olatunde remembered that the children were separated from their families for weeks and lived on meager rations with their captors setting strict rules for them. Some of the younger pupils were so weak when they were released from the forest that they could not walk, he said. He carried one little girl on his shoulder and assisted several children to cross rivers safely so that they would not be left behind.
The teacher also alleged that the captives were freed by their kidnappers before they came to the attention of security personnel who then took them home.
His account follows the release of the abducted teachers and pupils after almost two months in captivity. The children’s experiences highlight the need for ongoing psychosocial support, improved school security, and ongoing work to safeguard learners from attacks on education, child protection advocates say.
