Children Were Beaten, Men Chained, We Trekked Through Forests At Night" — Rescued Oyo Principal.

The principal of the secondary school affected by the mass abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Mrs Racheal Alamu, has narrated the traumatic experiences she, fellow teachers and pupils endured during their 56-day captivity, revealing that the victims were subjected to harsh conditions while being moved through forests to evade security operatives.

Alamu spoke on Monday in Ibadan after she and the rescued teachers and pupils were officially received by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde following their release.

She said the victims spent most of their time in the open forest, where they were exposed to harsh weather conditions while struggling to keep the children safe and emotionally stable.

Describing the ordeal, the school principal said survival depended largely on faith and hope that help would eventually come.

"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."

Alamu disclosed that although she escaped physical assault, several of the children were beaten by the kidnappers whenever they cried or made noise.

"Personally, I was not beaten, but some of the children were beaten. What they hated most was noise because they believed it could attract attention.

"The youngest children suffered the most. They would tie their mouths with pieces of cloth and beat them very well."

She added that the male teachers endured even harsher treatment throughout the period in captivity.

"The men had it worse than us. They were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained on their legs."

Despite the conditions, she said none of the victims was sexually assaulted.

"There was no form of molestation."

The principal explained that the kidnappers frequently changed locations whenever they suspected security forces were closing in, forcing the captives to undertake long treks through difficult forest terrain at night.

"When the place was discovered, we had to move, and that usually started around seven or eight at night. Sometimes we walked for three to four hours. That is why you see bruises on our bodies."

According to her, while the youngest children were carried by the abductors during the movements, older pupils had no choice but to walk long distances despite exhaustion and repeated falls.

"The younger ones were carried, but the older children had to walk. They fell many times. It was very difficult."

Recalling the first hours after the abduction, Alamu said the victims were transported deep into the forest using her vehicle before switching to motorcycles.

"My car was used to convey us to a point where we met the primary school pupils and their teacher.

"From there, we walked for about one hour before they brought motorcycles. About 10 motorcycles were used to move us for more than four hours through bush paths they knew very well."

Reflecting on the impact of the incident on her career, the veteran educator admitted that the experience had left her uncertain about returning to rural postings.

"I have worked for 28 years and I have just about four years to retire. Going to rural areas now will take the grace of God.

"Before this happened, I had already sacrificed a lot because of the distance. Now, coupled with this experience, I don't know what will happen. I want to see my husband. When I get home, I can think of every other thing."