FOOTAGE: Kidnappers freed us before troops escorted us back – Liberated Oyo educator

Zacchaeus Olatunde, one of the teachers rescued after 56 days in captivity, revealed that he and the other captives were set free by their abductors before being escorted home by security personnel.

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Olatunde shared his ordeal during a telephone interview with Nigeria Info FM, which aired on Friday, recounting the experiences of teachers and pupils abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

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Throughout their captivity, the captives were permanently blindfolded, making it impossible for them to determine their location, with Olatunde stating that they were unsure if they were even still in Nigeria.

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The abductors, who claimed to be members of the Islamic State West Africa Province, communicated in Hausa, Nupe, English, and Yoruba, and insisted they were not part of Boko Haram, according to Olatunde.

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Olatunde, who was the last person captured and released, expressed gratitude that prayers offered on their behalf had secured their freedom, stating that God had answered the prayers of those who had been praying for them.

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The kidnappers provided the captives with two meals a day, consisting of rice, beans, onions, margarine, and salt, but strictly limited their religious practices, initially prohibiting them from praying.

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After about a month, the captives were allowed to pray, but only if they did not mention the name of Jesus and refrained from praying aloud, as instructed by their captors.

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For the entire 56-day period, the teachers were unable to bathe or wash their clothes, and were only released when the kidnappers' commander informed them they were free to leave.

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Due to a broken handcuff key, Olatunde was the last to exit the camp, and was nearly forced to have his hand cut off, but was eventually freed using a rope to remove the handcuff.

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The former captives then trekked for about an hour before being transported by motorcycles provided by the kidnappers to a nearby village, where they eventually met with security personnel who escorted them to safety.

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Initially, the group was fearful of the security personnel, who spoke Hausa and arrived in buses without number plates, but were eventually reassured that they had been sent by the government.

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Olatunde also recounted helping younger pupils cross rivers during their journey out of the forest, carrying one little girl on his neck and using a stick to check the water depth.

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He had been captured after failing to outrun the attackers due to arthritis in his left leg, but surprisingly found that medication provided by the kidnappers eased his pain.

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Despite his safe return, Olatunde stated that he had not received any financial support, and instead suggested that assistance should be provided to his school.

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The teachers and pupils were abducted in May after armed men attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, and were released after 56 days in captivity.

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Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde announced the victims' release and called for a UN-backed investigation into the abduction, while directing that the rescued victims receive medical attention and psychosocial support.

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The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, responded to the governor's request, stating that it suggested a lack of confidence in Nigeria's security institutions, which had already provided explanations on the rescue operation.