Kidnappers left cutlass for Oyo principal to kill herself — Husband

Prof Wole Alamu has revealed that kidnappers left a cutlass beside his abducted wife, Rachael Alamu, apparently expecting the Oyo State school principal to take her own life.

Alamu made the revelation during a thanksgiving service held after his wife regained freedom following more than 50 days in captivity.

Rachael, principal of Ahoro Esinle School in Oriire Local Government Area, was abducted alongside pupils and teachers on May 15, 2026.

Her husband said the incident with the cutlass occurred after he blocked the kidnappers’ telephone numbers and stopped negotiating with them.

According to him, the gunmen confronted his wife after discovering that they could no longer reach him.

“They went to her and said, ‘Madam, your husband has blocked us. We are going to kill you,’” he recalled.

Rachael reportedly responded: “You will not kill me in Jesus’ name.”

Alamu said the kidnappers later left a cutlass beside his wife.

“They left one cutlass beside the Madam Principal,” he said.

“When they came back, they were blaming one another, saying, ‘You left a cutlass beside the Madam Principal so she could kill herself.’”

Rachael refused to touch the weapon and confronted her captors.

“I will not kill myself and you too will not kill me,” she reportedly told them.

Alamu explained that he blocked the kidnappers after three weeks of direct communication because their threats were destroying his health.

He said every message from the abductors left him emotionally destabilised and repeatedly caused his blood pressure to rise.

“There was a day I went for a medical check-up. They sent me a text message and I became destabilised.

“By the time I got to the clinic, I could not even do the check-up because my blood pressure had already increased,” he said.

The professor said he eventually decided that remaining in contact with the kidnappers could cost him his own life.

“That day, I decided I would block these people.

“You cannot kill me here and kill her there. Choose one. If you want to take her, she is going to be with Christ.

“You cannot kill the two of us at the same time,” he said.

Rachael and the other abducted victims were eventually freed following a rescue operation announced by the Federal Government.

Her husband described the kidnapping as the greatest trial his family had faced but said the experience strengthened their faith.