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The rescued principal of Community High School in Oriire Local Government Area, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has explained the reason why the kidnappers killed the teachers who were abducted in the state.
The teachers killed were a Mathematics teacher, Mr Michael Oyedokun, who was beheaded in the kidnappers’ den and Mr Esiyan Adegboye, 49, who was shot dead during the invasion.
Adegboye was buried in Ogbomoso on May 22.
Alamu made this known while speaking with newsmen on Monday.
The principal, the other rescued children and teachers were received by Governor Seyi Makinde at the State Government House.
She said, “There are times that we have hope that we will all come out alive. The terrorists killed Mr Michael, the first teacher, on the second day of our abduction and Deacon, the second teacher, was killed on the first Sunday of June.
“They killed them purposely because they thought it would force the hand of the government to provide them whatever they wanted. They already knew that the whole world was interested in our case. We have scars already, and we believe that God will heal us. We appreciate everyone that contributed to this success.”
Recounting their experience in captivity, the principal stressed that the victims spent most of the 56 days in the open forest, exposed to harsh weather conditions while trying to keep the children alive and emotionally stable.
“You can only imagine it. It was not easy. We were in the forest, in the open, most of the time, under the sun and under the rain, with the children. But we kept going because there was no way out.
“We knew it was only God that could help us, and we believed people were praying for us. That kept us going,” she said.
Alamu disclosed that although she was not physically assaulted, several of the younger pupils suffered severe beatings whenever they cried or made noise.
PUNCH Online reports that the rescued pupils and teachers were handed over to the state government by the Federal Government.
A video shared by Oyo Affairs showed the rescued victims alighting from a van under heavy security provided by military personnel upon their arrival at the secretariat.
The footage captured the victims stepping out of the vehicle as armed security operatives escorted them into the premises.
The arrival follows the Federal Government’s announcement on Friday that security agencies had successfully secured the release of all the abducted pupils and teachers after more than 50 days in captivity.
Before Monday’s handover, the rescued pupils and teachers had been receiving medical treatment and psychosocial support at the Military Hospital in Ibadan, where Governor Seyi Makinde visited them on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, also visited the rescued pupils and teachers at the Military Hospital.
