Di governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) for Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, don give brand-new Toyota Camry to Mrs. Rachael Folake Alamu, di Principal of Community High School, Esiele, for Oriire Local Government Area. Dis na recognition of her courage and resilience after she survive 56-day kidnapping ordeal.
Mrs. Alamu na among di teachers wey dem abduct alongside pupils during di May attack on Community High School, Esiele, and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School for Oriire Local Government Area. During dia captivity, di kidnappers force di principal to appear for several video recordings wey dem use to communicate with outside world and press demands.
Presenting di vehicle, Alli commend Mrs. Alamu for her exceptional bravery, composure, and unwavering commitment to di safety and welfare of di abducted pupils throughout di traumatic experience. E describe di donation as modest token of appreciation for her courage and expression of solidarity with victims of insecurity.
Di senator say e hope di gesture go aid her recovery and encourage her as she resume her professional responsibilities. According to am, teachers wey continue to serve under difficult and hazardous conditions deserve di support and appreciation of society.
Di pupils and teachers dem eventually rescue after spending 56 days for captivity, ending weeks of anxiety for dia families, di Oriire community, and Oyo State. Residents and stakeholders for Oriire Local Government commend Alli’s intervention, describing am as compassionate gesture and fitting recognition of di sacrifices wey teachers dey make for vulnerable rural communities.
Governor Seyi Makinde don receive di rescued teachers and pupils from Ahoro Esienle and Yawota schools for Oriire Local Government Area. Di Nigerian Army formally hand dem over to Oyo State Government on Monday after dia rescue from captivity.
Di handover ceremony hold at di Executive Chamber of di Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. E mark di formal transfer of responsibility for di victims’ welfare from di military to di state government, 56 days after armed terrorists kidnap dem.
Speaking during di ceremony, Makinde describe di rescue as extraordinary feat made possible through collaboration of Federal Government, Nigerian Army, and other security agencies. E assure di victims say di state government go stand by dem throughout dia recovery.
Di governor express gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for im support throughout di rescue operation, as well as di leadership of di nation’s security agencies. “On behalf of di Government and di good people of Oyo State, I wish to express our profound appreciation to di President of di Federal Republic of Nigeria for im unwavering support throughout dis operation,” Makinde tok.
E note say although similar incidents don happen for different parts of di country, di response to di Oriire abduction na unprecedented. “People from across Nigeria and around di world unite for calling for di safe return of di teachers and pupils. I fit only thank Almighty God for im grace upon Oyo State,” e add.
Makinde describe di incident as di first of im kind during im more dan seven years for office and pray e no go ever recur for di state. Addressing di rescued victims, di governor acknowledge di psychological trauma wey dem endure during dia 56-day captivity. “Wetin you endure over 56 days no fit simply erase for 56 months. Nevertheless, I want to assure you say you no go walk dis path alone,” e tok.
Although di affected Baptist school na privately owned, Makinde pledge say di state government go engage im management to ensure say di ordeal no go interrupt di careers of di teachers or di education of di pupils. E also disclose say di victims go continue to receive medical attention and psychosocial support under di supervision of di former Chief Medical Director of UCH, Temitope Alonge. E add say dem only go reunite with dia families after medical experts certify dem fit.
“Di Oyo State Government go do everything within im power to ensure say no disruption to di careers of di teachers and no interruption to di education of di pupils,” di governor assure. Makinde formally announce say di state government don assume responsibility for di continued welfare of all di rescued teachers and pupils.
For im address, di General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Chinedu Nnebeife, say di successful rescue na outcome of painstaking intelligence-led operations and close collaboration among security agencies. Di GOC reveal say preliminary findings indicate existence of local collaborators wey allegedly aid di terrorists.
According to am, investigations uncover involvement of some members of local vigilante groups and hunters wey work with di kidnappers. E stress say security agencies and di state government go critically review di entire incident to prevent recurrence. E also explain why military aircraft no fit deploy to extract di victims. “Di location where di teachers and pupils dem hold na deep inside di forest, making aerial extraction impossible. Dat terrain force our troops to rely on carefully coordinated ground operations to achieve di successful rescue,” e tok.
E salute di bravery of all those wey lose dia lives during di operation and express appreciation to President Tinubu for providing all enablers for successful operation. E also appreciate Governor Makinde for im support throughout di operation, as well as di National Security Adviser to di President, di National Counter Terrorism Unit, di Special Boat Unit from di Nigerian Navy, di Chief of Army Staff, di Chiefs of Air and Naval Staff, sister security agents, and others for dia support.
For emotional address, di school Principal, speaking publicly for di first time since regaining freedom, recount di horrifying ordeal wey di victims suffer during dia captivity. She describe di experience as “torturous and horrendous,” revealing say di abductors subject both teachers and pupils to severe physical abuse. According to her, di male victims dem blindfold and repeatedly beat, while children wey cry from fear and exhaustion dem also mercilessly assault.
Di principal make di most shocking revelation of di ceremony when she confirm say di abductors execute di school’s mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, by beheading am. She say di terrorists carry out di gruesome killing to demonstrate dia resolve and pressure di government into meeting dia demands. She further reveal say another teacher, John Olaleye, dem also murder during di period of captivity.
Di disclosures cast fresh light on di brutality wey di victims endure and underscore di dangers wey di security forces face during di weeks-long operation wey eventually secure di freedom of di surviving teachers and pupils. Di Oriire school abduction don draw national attention and trigger widespread calls for di safe return of di victims before di Nigerian Army, supported by other security agencies, successfully rescue dem during coordinated operations across di Old Oyo National Park and adjoining forests.
