The principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, Rachael Alamu, has recounted the harrowing 56 days she and more than 40 abducted pupils and teachers spent in captivity, revealing that the kidnappers repeatedly beat some of the children while blindfolding, handcuffing and chaining the male captives.
Mrs Alamu spoke with journalists on Monday shortly after military formally handed her and other survivors over to the Oyo State Government following their rescue. She described the ordeal as one of the most traumatic experiences of her life.
While she escaped physical assault, she said many of the children were not as fortunate, they were beaten and tied.
“Personally, I was not beaten. Some of the children were beaten. You know children; some are quiet, some are loud. What they hated most was noise because they believed it could attract attention,” she said.
According to her, the youngest children suffered the worst abuse. “The youngest of them, Waliya and Salam, received the worst beating. They would cover their mouths with clothes, tie them and beat them severely,” she said.
