‘They killed our colleagues to pressure govt; left us with scars’- Rescued Oyo principal says

The principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, Mrs. Alamu Folawe, on Monday, July 13, recounted the traumatic 56-day ordeal she and other abducted teachers and pupils endured in captivity, saying the kidnappers deliberately killed two of their colleagues to pressure the government while leaving the survivors with lasting emotional scars.

Folawe spoke during the official handover of the rescued victims to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde by the Nigerian Army.

The principal said the abductors repeatedly used fear and psychological intimidation to weaken the captives, telling them that the government had abandoned them and no longer cared about their fate.

“A relief to us is that Nigerians were praying for us. Many times, they used fear to subdue us. At one point they told us the government wasn’t interested in our case anymore because they didn’t value us. But there were times we held on to hope that we would come out alive,” she recalled. Nigerianbusiness insights

She revealed that the kidnappers executed two of her colleagues in an attempt to force the government’s hand.

“Mr. Michael was k!lled on the second day, while Deacon was killed on the first Sunday in June. They killed them purposely because they felt that would force the government to give them whatever they wanted.

It was until we got out that we discovered the whole world was on our case. We have scars already, but we believe with time we will heal,” she said

She expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, security agencies involved in the rescue operation and Nigerians whose prayers and support sustained hope throughout their captivity.

Watch a video of her speaking below