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

Published

3 months ago

July 14, 2026

Mrs Racheal Alamu

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

Related Topics:chained children Oriire abduction teachers

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Oyo Police Arrest Three After Viral Assault on Nigerian Truck Drivers

Published

29 minutes ago

October 14, 2026

Trends Admin

Oyo Police Arrest Three After Viral Assault on Nigerian Truck Drivers

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested three suspects, including an Indian national and two security operatives, over the alleged assault of two Nigerian truck drivers at the premises of Karma Agric Feeds and Foods Limited in Ibadan.

The arrests followed widespread public outrage over a viral video showing the drivers being beaten during a confrontation at the company’s facility along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The suspects were identified as Harjit Singh, 46, an Indian national associated with the company, and two security operatives attached to the facility, Olowu Oluwadamilare and Sodeke Olamide.

The police said Commissioner of Police Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga directed detectives to identify and apprehend those involved after the command became aware of the video at about 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, the command said preliminary investigations indicated that the confrontation stemmed from a disagreement over where a truck delivering goods to the company should be parked.

According to the police account, the dispute began on Saturday when the truck driver reportedly objected to a designated parking space because he feared it could damage the vehicle’s tyres.

The truck owner, Akinpelu Sarafa, 47, reportedly told investigators that the driver was compelled to park in the designated area, after which one of the tyres burst.

The disagreement allegedly escalated when the driver requested a replacement tyre but the company declined.

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The driver subsequently used the truck to block the company’s entrance, triggering a physical confrontation involving the drivers, security operatives and the Indian national, according to the police.

The confrontation was captured in a video that circulated widely on social media, attracting condemnation from Nigerians who called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

The footage appeared to show a man striking one of the drivers with a stick while other individuals restrained and kicked another man who was on the ground. Some people at the scene were also heard demanding the truck keys.

The video prompted renewed calls for authorities to protect Nigerian workers from violence and ensure that commercial disagreements are resolved through lawful means.

The two drivers were subsequently identified as Ridwan Olajide, 34, and Taiwo Yinusa, 37. Both were admitted to a hospital in the Academy area of Ibadan for medical attention.

According to the police, the investigating officer visited the hospital and obtained statements from the victims as part of efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

VIDEO: Outrage as Indian National Assaults Nigerian Truck Drivers in Lagos

The command said the three suspects had been arrested while investigations continued to determine their individual roles in the alleged assault and establish the culpability of everyone involved.

The case has been transferred to the Special Enquiry Bureau at Eleyele, Ibadan, for further investigation and necessary action in accordance with the law.

The police also urged members of the public to remain calm and allow investigators to complete their work, assuring residents that anyone found culpable would be dealt with under the law.

The incident has generated broader concerns about the safety and treatment of truck drivers and other transport workers, whose services are essential to moving goods between factories, warehouses, markets and distribution centres.

Commercial disputes involving damaged vehicles, loading delays, parking arrangements and compensation claims can create tensions between drivers and businesses. However, such disagreements do not justify physical violence, and the police investigation is expected to establish how the confrontation escalated and who was responsible.

The Association of Maritime Truck Owners has also condemned the reported assault and called for accountability, stressing that disputes involving truck operators should be handled through lawful and peaceful channels.

The latest arrests mark a significant development in the case following the public reaction to the viral footage and calls for an investigation.

While the arrests represent an important step in establishing the facts, the suspects have not been convicted of any offence. The police said investigations were ongoing, with further action to be taken in accordance with the law.

The Oyo State Police Command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property and ensuring that the law applies equally to individuals and organisations.

Members of the public with relevant information about the incident can contact the Oyo State Call Response Centre on its toll-free line, 615, or the police command control room on 08081768614 and 07055495413.

Oyo Police Arrest Three After Viral Assault on Nigerian Truck Drivers

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IPOB Denies Monday Sit-at-Home Return, Challenges Police to Produce Evidence

Published

1 hour ago

October 14, 2026

Trends Admin

IPOB Denies Monday Sit-at-Home Return, Challenges Police to Produce Evidence

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has denied plans to resume enforcement of the Monday sit-at-home order across Nigeria’s South-East, describing reports of a planned return as false and challenging the police to provide evidence to support the allegations.

The group’s spokesperson and Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, made the clarification in a statement issued on Monday, October 12, 2026, following reports of a purported police intelligence document alleging that IPOB and its security wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), planned to resume enforcing the order from that date.

Powerful rejected the allegations contained in the purported intelligence report, which was reportedly dated October 9 and attributed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Intelligence Department.

He described the document as fabricated and accused the Nigeria Police Force of working with politicians and former members of IPOB’s disbanded Directorate of State to circulate what he called misleading information about the group.

“There is no voice note. There is no order from IPOB or ESN to resume any sit-at-home. There is no plan by this movement to enforce anything on the people of the South-East or Imo State,” Powerful said.

He maintained that IPOB’s stated objective remained the pursuit of Biafran self-determination through what the group described as peaceful and lawful means.

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The spokesperson also challenged the police to produce verifiable evidence supporting the allegations, including the original recording of the purported message, its source and the basis for linking it to IPOB or ESN.

The group further alleged that the circulation of the report, alongside claims about an anonymous voice recording and the withdrawal or redeployment of security personnel in parts of the South-East, could create an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.

Powerful urged the Federal Government to focus on addressing economic hardship, unemployment and insecurity rather than spreading what the group described as propaganda. He also reiterated IPOB’s demand for the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, whose continued detention the group disputes.

The reported intelligence document and the allegations surrounding it had raised concerns about the possible return of Monday shutdowns, which have disrupted commercial activities, education and transportation in parts of the South-East in recent years.

IPOB announced the cancellation of the Monday sit-at-home directive in February 2026, following a directive attributed to Kanu. The group called on residents to reopen markets, return to work and send children to school without fear.

However, the practice has remained a source of concern in some communities, where fear of attacks and threats by armed individuals has continued to affect economic and social activities.

The latest denial comes amid efforts by state governments and community leaders to restore normal activities on Mondays. Authorities in the region have repeatedly urged residents and business owners to resume their daily routines while calling for improved security.

As of the publication of this report, the police response to IPOB’s latest challenge and the authenticity of the purported intelligence document had not been independently established.

Residents are therefore advised to rely on verified announcements from relevant authorities rather than unconfirmed messages circulating on social media.

IPOB Denies Monday Sit-at-Home Return, Challenges Police to Produce Evidence

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Five Injured as 40-Foot Truck Rams Two Buses on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Published

15 hours ago

October 13, 2026

Trends Admin

Five Injured as 40-Foot Truck Rams Two Buses on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Five people have sustained serious injuries after a 40-foot truck crashed into two commercial buses around Ojodu-Berger on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Lagos State.

The accident reportedly occurred at about 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, near the Berger Pedestrian Bridge, inward Kara Bridge, causing significant traffic congestion along the busy highway.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) said the truck, identified as a 40-foot HOWO vehicle, collided with an interstate commercial Mazda bus and a Toyota Hiace bus, both carrying passengers.

According to the agency, its operatives stationed around the Ojodu-Berger axis responded to the crash and rescued five seriously injured people, comprising three women and two men, including a driver.

The victims were taken to the Lagos State Emergency and Trauma Centre at Toll Gate for medical assessment and treatment. Motorists assisted in transporting the injured, accompanied by LASTMA officials, while police officers from the Isheri Division also supported the rescue operation.

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The collision triggered a traffic backlog extending towards Otedola Bridge, disrupting movement along the expressway, which connects Lagos with Ogun State and other parts of the South-West.

LASTMA officials managed traffic around the affected area and worked to remove the damaged vehicles from the carriageway to prevent further incidents and restore normal movement.

The vehicles involved, including the truck, were subsequently handed over to the police for investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The precise cause of the collision had not been established in the available reports.

LASTMA urged operators of heavy-duty vehicles to ensure their trucks were properly maintained and roadworthy before travelling. The agency also advised drivers to observe speed limits, comply with traffic regulations and follow instructions from traffic officials, particularly along busy highways.

The incident adds to a series of serious road crashes involving heavy-duty vehicles reported on Lagos roads in recent weeks, renewing concerns about vehicle safety and the risks posed by collisions involving trucks and passenger buses.

Motorists travelling through Ojodu-Berger, Kara Bridge and the Otedola axis were advised to exercise caution and anticipate delays while traffic officials managed the aftermath of the crash.