‘They Smiled and Said We Should Thank God We Were Free’ – Abducted Oyo Teacher Reveals Shocking Release Moment

A teacher abducted during the attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has narrated his harrowing 56-day experience in captivity, revealing how he was captured, the conditions under which the victims lived, and the dramatic circumstances surrounding their eventual freedom.

Naijapunchnews reports that the school counsellor, Olatunde Olutuye Zaccheaus, said he was the last victim abducted by the gunmen and the last person released from their custody.

Zaccheaus spoke during an emotional telephone interview on Nigeria Info’s Morning Crossfire programme on Friday alongside his wife, shedding light on the traumatic experience that has sparked fresh questions about how the victims eventually regained their freedom.

How the Attack Began

Recounting the day of the attack, Zaccheaus said the first sign of danger came when he heard the sound of motorcycles approaching the school premises.

Moments later, the attackers opened fire, sending teachers and pupils into panic.

“What we just heard was the movement of a bike. Immediately, we heard gunshots. They were shooting sporadically,” he recalled.

According to him, terrified pupils immediately began shouting that bandits had invaded the school.

“Our students, the voices we were hearing from them, were saying, ‘Bandits, bandits, bandits,'” he said.

Injury Led to His Capture

The teacher explained that he attempted to escape through a classroom window with some pupils but landed awkwardly on his left leg, which had already been affected by arthritis.

The injury left him unable to continue running.

“When I jumped through the window and wanted to land, I landed on the left leg where I had arthritis. Immediately, I knew there was a problem. I was unable to walk,” he said.

Some pupils initially tried to help him, but he instructed them to flee so they would not also be captured.

“I told them, ‘Please, you go. Don’t worry about me. Let them not capture you.'”

He then crawled into thick vegetation and covered himself with leaves in an attempt to remain hidden.

How a Student Accidentally Revealed His Hiding Place

According to Zaccheaus, one female pupil refused to leave despite his repeated pleas.

When one of the kidnappers approached the girl, she instinctively looked toward where he was hiding, unintentionally exposing his location.

“When he wanted to take the student, the student looked at the position where I was. Their commander also looked in that direction and saw me.”

He said the commander removed his face mask, apparently surprised to discover someone hidden beneath the leaves.

“He opened his mask. He was wondering whether I was a human being or something else. Then he told me to stand up. That was how I was captured.”

The teacher added that many members of his community initially believed he had escaped because no one imagined he had been captured.

Life Inside the Kidnappers’ Camp

Although he declined to disclose every detail about life in captivity, Zaccheaus said the kidnappers communicated fluently in English, Yoruba and other languages.

He noted that despite speaking Yoruba, they did not appear to be Yoruba by origin.

The victims, he said, were initially forbidden from praying openly.

“After a month, they told us we could pray, but we should not call the name of Jesus loudly. Whenever we were praying, we should not pray aloud so that they would not see or hear us.”

Arthritis Disappeared After Medication

One of the most surprising aspects of his account involved the treatment of his long-standing arthritis.

According to Zaccheaus, after complaining about the severe pain in his leg, one of the abductors gave him an unidentified medication.

He claimed the drug relieved the condition almost immediately.

“The leg on which I had spent a lot of money, visited many hospitals and used different medicines, when I complained to them, they gave me one drug.

“When I took the drug, the arthritis went. I stood up.”

He, however, did not identify the medication or indicate whether doctors had examined him after his release to verify the reported improvement.

‘We Have Been Freed’

Describing the day they regained their freedom, Zaccheaus said the kidnappers’ attitude suddenly changed.

Instead of displaying hostility, they began smiling and informed the victims that they had been set free.

“They were laughing and smiling. They said we should thank God that we had been freed. They told us to open our eyes.”

He disclosed that he and another victim remained blindfolded, handcuffed and chained until the final moments before their release.

‘Maybe They Should Cut Off My Hand’

The teacher also revealed that his release was briefly delayed after the key to his handcuffs broke.

According to him, one of the abductors even suggested amputating his hand to remove the restraint.

“There was no key to remove the handcuff from my hand. That was how I was carrying the handcuff.

“One of them said maybe they should cut off my hand, but another said they should not.”

He said the kidnappers eventually used a rope to free his wrist.

Lost in the Forest

After being released, Zaccheaus said he became confused in the forest and unknowingly walked in the wrong direction.

He claimed the kidnappers’ commander, whom he identified as an ISWAP member, called him back at gunpoint and redirected him toward the other victims.

However, the commander’s alleged affiliation with ISWAP has not been independently verified.

“He told me to come back. I was afraid that I was alone in the bush. I thought it meant I was going to die.”

According to him, the victims trekked for about an hour before reaching motorcycles that transported them toward Kinyere village.

They later continued on foot for another 90 minutes before eventually meeting security personnel.

‘Our Freedom Was Miraculous’

Zaccheaus acknowledged the efforts of the Oyo State Government throughout the ordeal but said he was uncertain about the level of financial assistance provided to the affected teachers.

He disclosed that a private individual presented envelopes containing money to the victims while they were receiving medical attention in Ibadan, while reports that the school principal would receive a vehicle had yet to be confirmed.

Having worked at the school for six years, the counsellor described the incident as the first school-targeted abduction in the community, although criminal activities had previously been recorded in the area.

Reflecting on the experience, Zaccheaus attributed the victims’ survival and eventual freedom to divine intervention and the prayers of Nigerians.

“The way we were rescued was miraculous. It was people’s prayers and God’s help. Let me put it that way,” he said.