*Governor (Engr.) Seyi Makinde of Oyo State applauds the Presidency, security operatives, and Nigerians for efforts at rescuing the 44 kidnapped victims of Oriire Local Government Area of the state
Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect
Governor (Engr.) Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has commended the Nigerian Presidency, security operatives, and Nigerians for efforts at rescuing the 44 kidnapped victims of Oriire Local Government Area (LGA) of the state July 10, 2026.
Makinde stated this Monday, July 13, 2026, while receiving the rescued teachers and pupils after receiving first Medicare care from the Military health facility in Ibadan, the state capital.
Nutrition Safety: FCCPC seals 3 milk factories over infractions, arrests producer in Anambra
Earlier, the 44 abductees received medical care, psychological assessment, and psychosocial support at the Headquarters of the 2 Division, Nigerian Army Medical Services, at Odogbo Barracks, in Ibadan.
The governor admitted to being deeply moved by the success of the rescue efforts.
He also said hitherto, Oyo State had historically enjoyed a peaceful atmosphere, making the abduction a highly unprecedented and shocking ordeal to citizens of the state.
In regard to how troops of the Nigerian Army, other security agencies rescued the victims, he noted that the collective prayers and unrelenting voices of concerned citizens globally played a massive role in maintaining the momentum at the time.
ConsumerConnect gathered Governor Makinde immediately placed the 44 survivors into the custody of a specialised medical team led by Prof. Temitope Alonge, ex-UCH Chief Medical Director (CMD), requesting 24 to 48 additional hours to finalise medical evaluations before the victims are fully integrated back into their respective homes in the state.
“To the teachers, the students, I know it’s a long road to recovery.
“What you’ve passed through in 56 days, we cannot undo in 56 months. But I want to give you an assurance,” stated he.
The governor further noted: “I know that the Baptist school is not a government school.
“We will sit down with them. We don’t know what they want to do.”
Makinde assured Nigerians: “We sure will sit with them; but let me give you the assurance, both the teachers and the students from that particular school.
“The state government will do everything possible to ensure that there’s no disruption to your careers, and there’s no disruption to the education of those students.”
Reliving our 55-day ordeal in captivity, by Mrs. Alamu, school principal
Amid the sober atmosphere inside the executive chambers of the Oyo State Government Monday, Mrs. Racheal Alamu, rescued Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, in Oriire LGA, spoke on behalf of the survivors.
The elderly victim provided a chilling account of how the kidnappers deliberately weaponised psychological torture and cold-blooded murder to bend the state to their will, executing two teachers during their stay in the bush.
She stated: “Mr. Micheal was killed on the second day of our stay, but Deacon was killed on the first Sunday of June.
“They killed them purposely because they felt that will force the hand of the government to give them whatever they want.”
Mrs. Alamu also described the continuous psychological warfare used by the bandits to break their spirits and give up on hope of regaining freedom from captivity.
The school principal further said: “So many times they used fear to subdue us.
“At a point, they told us that the government would not be interested in our case again because they did not value us.”
According to her, as she clinged to a fragile sense of hope throughout the two-month nightmare, Mrs. Alamu recalled that it was only after their handover that the survivors realised they had not been abandoned.
She said: “It was until we got out that we discovered that the whole world was interested in our case. We thought that we were a write-off.”
Appreciating President Tinubu, Governor Makinde, and the security forces, she noted: “We have scars already. We believe with time, we will heal.
“And we pray that those that lost their lives, God will console the family.”
The government later moved the kidnap victims to Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) Teaching hospital, Ogbomoso, for further medical attention to and monitoring.