Oriire abduction: Children beaten into silence, teachers chained for 56 days — Principal

The horrifying details of the Oriire school abduction have continued to emerge as the principal rescued alongside dozens of pupils and teachers, Mrs Racheal Alamu, recounted how children were brutally beaten into silence, male teachers were chained and blindfolded, while the victims endured exhausting midnight treks through dense forests during their 56-day captivity.

Mrs Alamu shared the chilling account on Monday after she and the rescued victims were formally received by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan following their release from captivity.

The victims, comprising 39 pupils and seven teachers, were abducted on May 23, 2026, when armed terrorists believed to be members of the Ansaru group attacked an Islamic summer school programme in Lafiagi, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Describing the ordeal as one of the darkest moments of her life, the principal said the abductees spent virtually the entire period in the open forest, exposed to rain, scorching sunshine and harsh environmental conditions without adequate shelter.

“You can only imagine it. It was not easy. We were in the forest, in the open, most of the time, under the sun and under the rain, with the children. But we kept going because there was no way out.

“We knew it was only God that could help us, and we believed people were praying for us. That kept us going,” she said.

Mrs Alamu disclosed that while she escaped physical assault, many of the younger children were repeatedly beaten whenever they cried or made noise.

According to her, the abductors feared that children’s cries could expose their location to security operatives.

“Personally, I was not beaten, but some of the children were beaten. What they hated most was noise because they believed it could attract attention.

“The youngest children suffered the most. They tied pieces of cloth around their mouths and beat them severely whenever they cried,” she recalled.

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She added that despite the inhumane conditions, none of the victims was sexually assaulted during the period in captivity.

“There was no form of molestation,” she said.

Mrs Alamu further revealed that the male teachers endured harsher treatment than the women and children.

“The men had it worse than us. They were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained on their legs,” she disclosed.

According to the principal, the kidnappers frequently relocated the victims whenever they suspected security forces were closing in on their hideouts.

The repeated movements forced the abductees, including young children, to embark on dangerous nighttime treks lasting several hours through difficult forest terrain.

“When the place was discovered, we had to move, and that usually started around seven or eight at night. Sometimes we walked for three to four hours. That is why you see bruises on our bodies.

“The younger ones were carried, but the older children had to walk. Many of them fell repeatedly. It was extremely difficult,” she said.

She explained that immediately after the abduction, the victims were transported deeper into the forest using about 10 motorcycles after trekking for nearly an hour.

“My car was used to convey us to a point where we met the primary school pupils and their teacher. From there, we walked for about one hour before they brought motorcycles. About 10 motorcycles were used to move us for more than four hours through bush paths they knew very well.”

More accounts from relatives of the rescued pupils revealed that the children survived largely on cocoyam, noodles and water fetched from a nearby waterfall throughout the period they were held hostage.

A family member of one of the rescued pupils said the children sometimes ate only once a day while living under constant fear inside the Oyo National Forest.

The relative expressed appreciation to the security personnel who risked their lives to rescue the victims, noting that several officers paid the ultimate price during the operation.

Security sources disclosed that the successful rescue followed weeks of painstaking intelligence gathering involving the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Navy, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and members of the Joint Interagency Task Force.

Investigators reportedly penetrated the terrorists’ logistics network after using ransom negotiations to identify supply routes through which food, fuel and other essential items were delivered to the kidnappers inside the forest.

Security operatives also relied on communication intercepts and local intelligence to trace the abductors’ movements before gradually isolating them by cutting off their supply chains.

Rather than launching a full-scale assault that could endanger the lives of the hostages, commanders adopted an intelligence-driven strategy that sustained pressure on the terrorists until they eventually released the captives.

The rescue operation, however, came at a significant cost.

Among those killed was Lieutenant Felix Ademe Isaac, a 28-year-old Nigerian Army officer whose convoy reportedly struck an improvised explosive device (IED) during an early phase of the mission.

Military authorities honoured the fallen officer with a full military burial, describing his sacrifice as instrumental to the eventual success of the operation.

Governor Seyi Makinde commended the courage, professionalism and collaboration of the security agencies involved in the rescue mission.

He also assured the rescued pupils, teachers and their families of continued government support, including medical treatment, trauma counselling and rehabilitation.

Security experts have described the operation as one of Nigeria’s most successful recent hostage rescue missions, saying it demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence sharing, inter-agency cooperation and carefully coordinated security operations.

Meanwhile, investigations are continuing as security agencies intensify efforts to arrest all members of the Ansaru terrorist network responsible for the abduction and prevent similar attacks on schools across the country.

Oriire abduction: Children beaten into silence, teachers chained for 56 days — Principal

Alleged fake agency DG says he borrowed ₦400m to secure appointment

The controversy surrounding the disowned Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) took a fresh twist on Monday as Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, who claims to be the agency’s Director-General, alleged that he borrowed ₦400 million to secure his appointment and that his creditors have now petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to recover the money.

Adeyemi made the claim during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, insisting that the funds used to obtain the appointment were sourced through loans rather than from his personal finances.

According to him, those who provided the money have become impatient over the prolonged controversy surrounding the agency and have formally reported the matter to the EFCC in a bid to recover their funds.

“I borrowed this money. In fact, those that I borrowed this money from have reported to the EFCC. I borrowed this money to pay for this appointment. They have written to the EFCC, asking me to refund their money. So, I’m not even here to pay the money back. I borrowed this money,” he said.

The latest disclosure comes weeks after Adeyemi accused Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, of allegedly receiving ₦400 million through an intermediary to facilitate his appointment as Director-General of the PFIPC.

He had also alleged that an additional ₦200 million was later demanded from him and claimed that influential individuals sought a substantial share of the agency’s proposed take-off funds.

Gbajabiamila has strongly denied the allegations through his lawyers, describing them as false, malicious and defamatory.

His legal team has demanded an immediate retraction and public apology from Adeyemi, warning that failure to comply could result in a ₦10 billion defamation lawsuit.

During the interview, Adeyemi maintained that he was being unfairly portrayed as the architect of an elaborate fraud despite operating openly for several years.

“Imagine the government claiming I manoeuvred the whole system. It’s unfortunate,” he said.

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He also dismissed reports suggesting that he was seeking political asylum abroad or planning to flee Nigeria to evade investigation.

According to Adeyemi, he only became aware of reports linking him to a United States lobbying firm through media publications and insisted he has no intention of leaving the country.

“I read it the way you read it. Some people called me saying they were looking for me,” he said.

He further alleged that coordinated efforts had been made to shut down his social media accounts, limiting his ability to respond to allegations made against him.

“They pulled my social media handle down, and they still reported that I was about to run away out of Nigeria. I’m still in Nigeria. I’m not going anywhere,” he stated.

The PFIPC controversy began after the Presidency, in a statement issued on June 11, categorically disowned the council, declaring that no such agency exists under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Presidency subsequently described Adeyemi as an impostor and alleged that he forged presidential appointment documents purportedly signed by the Chief of Staff.

Investigators also alleged that he operated a fictitious government agency using forged official documents and insignia.

According to security agencies, preliminary investigations revealed that Adeyemi allegedly maintained 34 bank accounts, including nine reportedly opened in the names of non-existent government agencies, raising concerns over possible financial crimes, impersonation and forgery.

Despite the government’s position, Adeyemi has continued to insist that his appointment was legitimate.

He argued that he operated publicly for nearly three years without objection, held meetings with senior officials of several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), engaged foreign investors and interacted with officials of institutions such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the EFCC.

Adeyemi said these engagements reinforced his belief that the council was a legitimate government institution.

The controversy deepened after reports indicated that the PFIPC appeared in the 2026 Appropriation Act with a budgetary allocation despite the Presidency’s insistence that the agency had never been legally established.

The development prompted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate how the agency was included in the federal budget and identify those responsible for the alleged irregularities.

While the ICPC investigates the budgetary aspect of the matter, the Nigeria Police Force continues its probe into allegations of forgery, impersonation and related offences involving the purported agency.

The EFCC is also expected to examine Adeyemi’s latest claims after he disclosed that his lenders had formally petitioned the anti-graft agency over the alleged ₦400 million loan.

Legal analysts say the multiple investigations could determine whether criminal offences were committed and expose any weaknesses in government appointment verification and budgetary processes.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has reiterated that only agencies created through lawful procedures and officially recognised by the Federal Government are authorised to operate, urging Nigerians to verify the authenticity of government institutions before engaging with them.

Alleged fake agency DG says he borrowed ₦400m to secure appointment

Publisher arraigned over alleged false reports claiming Gov Soludo disowned son

The Anambra State Police Command has arraigned Ejike Ofoegbu, the alleged owner and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and iNews, before a competent court over allegations of publishing false and defamatory reports targeting Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his family.

The suspect was arraigned on Monday, July 13, after the police concluded investigations into a petition accusing him of disseminating fabricated information capable of damaging the governor’s reputation and inciting public disaffection.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the suspect was handed over to the police by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Awka after preliminary investigations before the matter was transferred to the police for further action.

The police said the case centred on a series of viral social media posts allegedly published by Ofoegbu, which falsely claimed that Governor Soludo had publicly disowned his son, Ozonna (Ozo) Soludo, while also attributing several fabricated statements to both father and son.

Among the posts cited by investigators was one that falsely quoted Governor Soludo as saying, “I will arrest anyone who calls Ozo my son. He is not my son. I disowned him years ago, and he is no longer a member of the Soludo family.”

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Another publication falsely alleged that Ozonna described his father as “a drunkard” who abused his mother during his childhood, while a separate post claimed the governor jokingly said his son was “ordered from Temu” and was “Chinese-made” rather than his biological child.

Investigators also referenced another publication that falsely attributed a statement to Ozonna claiming his father could defeat the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in a drinking competition because of his alleged drinking capacity.

The Anambra State Police Command described the publications as fabricated, malicious and capable of misleading members of the public while causing reputational damage to the governor and his family.

During police investigations, the suspect reportedly admitted responsibility for the publications, retracted the statements and issued a public apology to Governor Soludo.

Despite the apology, the police said the alleged offences had already been committed, making prosecution necessary in line with existing laws governing false publications, cyber-related offences and defamation.

SP Ikenga disclosed that the court subsequently ordered that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre pending the next hearing in the case.

The police reiterated their commitment to combating fake news, cybercrime and other offences involving the deliberate spread of false information capable of undermining public peace, damaging reputations or inciting unrest.

The command also advised journalists, bloggers, digital publishers and social media users to verify information before publication, stressing that freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly and within the limits of the law.

The case highlights growing efforts by law enforcement agencies to curb online misinformation and hold individuals accountable for the publication of false and defamatory content on digital platforms.

Publisher arraigned over alleged false reports claiming Gov Soludo disowned son