FIRSTHAND account of one of the teachers abducted from a secondary school in Oriire Local Government Areas of Oyo State has raised fresh questions about the Nigerian government’s account of how the victims regained their freedom after spending 56 days in captivity.
In a radio interview with Naija Info, following his release and other abductees, Olatunde Zaccheaus, one of the rescued teachers, narrated how he and others were released by their captors, trekked for hours through forests and rivers, and were eventually received by security operatives.
This version of the events that led to the victims freedom, The ICIR reports, appears to differ from official accounts claiming a coordinated military rescue operation secured their release.
His account has also reignited concerns over the reported deaths of security personnel during the operation, with many now questioning what role, if any, the military actually played in securing the victims’ release and how the officers died.
“They told us we were being freed”
According to Zaccheaus, there was no indication of a gun battle or military assault on the camp where they had been held.
Instead, he said their captors informed them that they would be released.
He recalled that after weeks of captivity, during which the male teachers were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained, the group’s commander announced that they should “thank God” because they were regaining their freedom.
The following day, the captors removed their blindfolds, unlocked their chains and handcuffs and directed them to leave.
“On that last day, their commander came. They were laughing and smiling. Then, they told us to thank God because we were going to be released… They told us to remove the cloth covering our eyes,” he narrated.
His description appears to suggest that the victims were released and allowed to leave captivity, rather than being recovered in an armed rescue mission.
“Before our release, the people holding us captive had repeatedly told us that if the government refused to negotiate with them, they would kill all the adults and take away the students and pupils to do all manner of things to them,” he said.
Hours of trekking through forests
Zaccheaus said the ordeal did not end with their release.
He narrated how the victims first trekked for between 40 minutes and one hour before reaching motorcycles arranged by the captors.
He noted that after another journey, they were dropped close to a village and instructed to continue on foot because the motorcycles could not proceed any farther.
According to him, the teachers and schoolchildren then trekked for another hour or more through difficult terrain, including crossing two rivers, before reaching a settlement.
The teacher also disclosed that the victims initially believed they were about to be abducted again when they encountered security personnel in two waiting vehicles.
Contrasting official narrative
The teacher’s narration contrasts with the impression created by the Nigerian government after the victims regained their freedom.
The government attributed the rescue to efforts of the Nigerian security forces and local vigilantes.
The ICIR reported how the Federal Government publicly presented the victims’ freedom as the outcome of a successful security operation on July 10,
Announcing the development, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, wrote on his social media accounts: “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo, have been rescued by our security agencies.”
He added: “In the course of the rescue operation, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody, while some of them were neutralised.
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue, as one of the terrorists, a kingpin whose release was demanded by the kidnappers, is being prosecuted for his atrocities. The security agencies will give a full account soon.”
Also, Tinubu declared that the teachers and pupils were rescued by Nigerian security forces without paying ransom or making concessions to the abductors.
“The children and teachers abducted by Ansaru terrorists in Oyo State have been rescued by our security forces, alive and unharmed. No ransom was paid. No concession was made.
The ICIR reports that the announcement immediately generated widespread reactions on social media, with many Nigerians questioning whether ransom was paid despite the government’s insistence that it paid no ransom.
Amid the speculation, the Defence Headquarters released a video showing the operation it said led to the children’s release.
The military said the operation was made possible through intelligence-led efforts and collaboration among security agencies.
“Through effective inter-agency collaboration and intelligence-driven operations, the abducted victims in Oyo State were safely rescued. The Armed Forces of Nigeria remain steadfast in safeguarding lives and national security,” the Defence Headquarters said.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M