Abducted Oyo Principal’s Husband Weeps, Begs Makinde to Secure Her Release

Abducted Oyo Principal’s Husband Weeps, Begs Makinde to Secure Her Release

The husband of abducted Oyo school principal, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, broke down in tears as he spoke about his kidnapped wife, while begging the government to rescue her and other schoolchildren held captive in a terrorist den. Mr. Alamu made this emotional appeal on Saturday when Governor Seyi Makinde visited Esiele, the community raided by bandits on May 15, which resulted in the abduction of over 40 staff and schoolchildren. Mr. Alamu introduced himself as “the husband of the abducted principal of Community High School Esinele.” According to Tribune Online, the grieving husband is Prof. Wole Alamu, Dean of Renewable Natural Resources at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) , Iseyin Campus. “My wife is the woman the terrorists record to speak to Nigerians. Seeing video of my wife in terrorist den is depressing and disheartening,” Mr. Alamu said as he broke down in tears. The professor commended Governor Makinde’s intervention but urged him to sustain efforts towards securing the victims’ release. Another resident, Mrs. Funmilayo Ojo, disclosed that four of her grandchildren and her son’s wife were among those abducted, while other community members described the incident as the first of its kind in the area.

On Friday, Mrs. Alamu, in a video recorded by her abductors, issued a desperate plea from captivity. “I’m here again to beg the government. Governor Seyi Makinde should dialogue with these people. They should not use force. The force they used yesterday has cost us so much,” she said. Begging the government to secure their release, Mrs. Alamu warned that the abductors had allegedly selected one of the captives for execution following a failed rescue attempt by security operatives. “In fact, one of us has been picked that they are going to kill him. Please, we want you to call them and dialogue with them so that our lives will be saved,” she said. In another video, the distressed principal revealed that she and the other captives had spent 13 days in the bush, exposed to harsh weather conditions. “Please, help us. We beg you in the name of God, please have mercy on us. This is too much. In the sun and in the rain. Both old and young, we are in the same place,” she pleaded. Mary Akanbi, one of the abducted teachers who is nursing a baby, also appealed to Governor Makinde to negotiate with the kidnappers for their freedom. “We are pleading with Governor Seyi Makinde, please help us, negotiate with these people. Whatever they want, please give to them. We are all here; we the teachers and the students,” she said.

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Mr. Makinde spoke to the families of the abducted teachers and schoolchildren during his visit to the community on Saturday, assuring them that the abductees would be released. “All I need is your cooperation. Please trust us. I cannot speak much because it has security implication. I know your hearts are bleeding. My heart is also bleeding. Please trust us. We will secure their release,” Mr. Makinde said. The governor disclosed that he had been holding regular meetings with security chiefs as part of efforts to secure the victims’ release. “I have not been sleeping well myself. Together with the service commanders, we meet twice every day, one in the morning and one at night, sometimes until 10 or 11 p.m.,” he added. Makinde described the abduction as particularly disturbing, noting that cases involving primary school pupils were rare in Nigeria. “There is nowhere in Nigeria where we have seen this sort of situation where primary school students are kidnapped. If it were secondary school students, we have heard that before, but primary school students are strange,” he said. He stressed that while many Nigerians had expressed opinions on how the crisis should be handled, authorities must proceed with caution given the sensitive nature of the ongoing operation. “This is not the time to trade blame between the state government, the federal government, local governments or any other institution. This is a time for unity. Let us come together with one purpose: to rescue our children and their teachers safely,” he said.

Mrs. Alamu’s plea comes 13 days after she and others were abducted. The coordinated terrorist attack on May 15, 2026, targeted three schools in the Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area: Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and L.A. Primary School, Alawusa. During the attack, mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun was beheaded by the abductors. A motorcyclist was also killed, and a security personnel died after running into improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by the abductors during early rescue attempts. The attack triggered protests in Ogbomoso, where teachers suspended classroom activities and marched peacefully to the office of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), demanding urgent action to secure the release of those still being held captive.

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President Bola Tinubu condemned the killing of Michael Oyedokun as “barbaric” and assured that the Federal Government is working closely with the Oyo State Government to secure the release of all abducted victims. The President also disclosed that the Inspector-General of Police is personally leading a technology-driven operation aimed at rescuing the victims and apprehending the perpetrators. In his Children’s Day message, President Tinubu specifically addressed the abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo and Borno states, assuring them that they had not been forgotten. He pledged that his administration would intensify efforts to secure their safe return. The Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, also announced the deployment of additional detectives from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to collaborate with the joint security team, while the Defence Headquarters said troops had made contact with the abductors and were working to ensure the rescue of the victims.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed deep concern over the continued captivity of the pupils and teachers, describing the situation as “heartbreaking, barbaric and unacceptable.” The union called for expedited and more decisive actions from the government and all relevant security agencies, emphasizing that “time is of the essence.” NUT President Titus Amba had earlier warned that the next attack on any school could trigger a nationwide shutdown of basic education schools, stating, “If teachers are not safe where they work, then the system has failed because our schools are endangered.” As of the time of this report, the victims remain in captivity, with their families enduring an agonizing wait for news of their loved ones’ safe return. The Oyo State Government continues to work with federal security agencies to secure the release of all abducted persons.