IBADAN, Nigeria — Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the Oyo State principal who spent 56 days in captivity after being abducted alongside her pupils and colleagues, has explained why her first reaction after rescue was to ask about her car, detailing the traumatic ordeal that left her and others at the mercy of their captors.
Alamu, who was among the 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026, was finally rescued on July 9, 2026, following coordinated security operations. Her rescue, alongside other victims, came after weeks of intense negotiations and military interventions.
Speaking at the Government House in Ibadan during a reception held by Governor Seyi Makinde for the rescued victims, Alamu recounted the harrowing experience of being held captive in the forest. She disclosed that her attackers had initially demanded N200 million ransom but later reduced the amount, adding that they were forced to pay N5.2 million for their release after she risked her life by informing security agents of the kidnappers’ location.
“As a mother, I was made to feed 39 pupils and seven teachers with just two cups of beans and a little oil. Most times, I would go without food for days so that the children could eat,” she said. She also shared how she survived on some peanuts and bottles of water hidden in a bag she had carried to school on the day of the abduction.
When the kidnappers discovered the information she sent to security agents, they tied up the teachers and threatened to kill them. “At the point of rescue, they said they would shoot us all, but they started hearing the gunshots of the security agents and they fled,” Alamu recounted. “They actually collected my car and after they ran away, I didn’t see my car again.”
Recalling the moment the rescue team got them out of the forest, Alamu explained why she immediately asked about her vehicle. “When the rescue team came and we ran into the bushes, my question was about my car,” she said. “The team told me that my car had been taken away by the kidnappers. So, I had to ask.”
Governor Makinde, who received the rescued victims at the Government House in Ibadan on Monday, confirmed that the state government had paid N5.2 million as ransom to secure their release. “On the issue of the N5.2 million ransom, yes it was paid but I cannot confirm if it was to the kidnappers,” Makinde said. “The people who were involved in that process told me they paid N5.2 million.”
However, a source close to the rescue operation told TheCable that the total amount paid to the kidnappers was N5.5 million, noting that after Alamu sent the last message, the kidnappers decided to move the victims to a different location after threatening to kill them. The source added that the kidnappers later called the principal and demanded another N20 million.
Alamu’s ordeal highlights the traumatic experiences faced by victims of kidnapping in Nigeria, particularly in regions where abduction has become a recurring threat. Her first concern after rescue, a seemingly mundane question about her car, speaks to the profound disorientation and loss that victims experience even after regaining their freedom. For now, Alamu and the other rescued victims are receiving medical and psychological support as they begin the long process of healing and rebuilding their lives.
