Kidnappers freed us before security escort – Teacher
Teacher Rescued After 56 Days in Captivity Following Abduction in Oyo State
A teacher released after 56 days in captivity has reported that he and other victims were freed by their kidnappers before being escorted home by security forces. Zacchaeus Olatunde, one of the abducted staff members from Oriire Local Government Area in Oyo State, shared his experience in a phone interview with Nigeria Info FM.
Olatunde stated that during their captivity, the victims were blindfolded and had no knowledge of their location. “We didn’t even know if we were in Nigeria or another country,” he said.
He expressed concern that the government may have forgotten about them and detailed interactions with their captors, who spoke Hausa, Nupe, English, and Yoruba. Olatunde noted that the kidnappers claimed to be members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), asserting, “They said they are not Boko Haram. They said they are ISWAP.”
Throughout their ordeal, the captives were fed twice daily with rice, beans, and other basic food items. Initially, they were not allowed to pray. After about a month, the kidnappers permitted them to pray but prohibited mentioning the name of Jesus or praying aloud.
Olatunde recounted that they were released after a commander advised them to “thank God that we had been freed.” Following their release, the victims walked for about an hour before being transported by motorcycles to a nearby village, where security officials subsequently escorted them home.
