Oriire: Why I blocked contact with kidnappers — Principal’s husband

Professor Wole Alamu, the husband of the Principal of Ahoro Community Grammar School, Oriire, Oyo State, Rachael Alamu, has explained why he blocked contact with the kidnappers who held his wife captive.

Prof. Alamu made the disclosure during a thanksgiving service that was held on Sunday following the release of his wife and others.

The Eagle Online recalls that Alamu, other teachers, and pupils were kidnapped from three schools by gunmen in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15, 2026.

They regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity following a joint rescue operation by the Military, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and vigilante groups.

Speaking during the service, Professor Alamu said: “When my wife was abducted, I was chatting with the abductors for the first three weeks.

“I was threatened and immediately they threatened me, I was always destabilised.

“There was a day I went for a medical check-up. 

“They sent me a text message and I became destabilised. 

“By the time I got to the clinic, I could not even do the check-up because my blood pressure had already increased.

“That day I decided I would block these people.

“You cannot kill me here and kill her there. 

“Choose one. 

“If you want to take her, she is going to be with Christ. 

“You cannot kill the two of us at the same time.”

According to Prof. Alamu, the kidnappers later confronted his wife after discovering they could no longer reach him.

He added: “They went to her and said: ‘Madam, your husband has blocked us. We are going to kill you.’

“She replied: ‘You will not kill me in Jesus’ name.’”

Professor Alamu further said the kidnappers left a cutlass beside his wife, apparently expecting her to take her own life.

He said: “They left one cutlass beside the Madam Principal.

“When they came back, they were blaming one another, saying: ‘You left a cutlass beside the Madam Principal so she could kill herself.

“My wife replied immediately: ‘I will not kill myself and you too will not kill me.’ 

“I thank God for that boldness. 

“She spoke positively.”

Professor Alamu expressed gratitude to security agencies for what he described as their swift response after the abduction.

He said: “Within 45 minutes, the General Officer Commanding of the 2 Mechanised Division was already there. 

𝕤𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖/𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖