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Schoolchildren rescued after spending 56 days in captivity have recounted being beaten, blindfolded and forced to endure long treks through forests after their abduction in Oyo State.
The pupils were among more than 40 students kidnapped in May from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area in an attack blamed on Ansaru, a Boko Haram splinter group. Their rescue was announced on Friday, with the military formally handing them over to the Oyo State Government on Monday.
Speaking during the handover, one of the school principals, Rachael Alamu, said some of the children, especially the younger ones, were gagged with pieces of cloth and severely beaten by their captors.
She also revealed that male members of staff endured harsher treatment, alleging they were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained while in captivity.
According to Alamu, the abductees were repeatedly moved from one forest hideout to another to evade security forces, sometimes trekking for up to four hours with little food.
She disclosed that two male teachers lost their lives during the incident—one during the initial attack and another while being held captive.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde said five security personnel, including members of local vigilante groups, were also killed during the rescue operation.
The Nigerian Army said the victims were freed through coordinated operations involving the military, intelligence agencies, the police and local vigilantes.
The attack, which occurred in Nigeria’s South-West, sparked nationwide concern because large-scale school kidnappings have been more commonly associated with the country’s northern regions. President Bola Tinubu had attributed the abduction to Ansaru militants operating beyond their traditional strongholds.
