Nigeria’s Oyo school principal Rachael Alamu freed after 58‑day kidnapping

On May 15, 2026, armed bandits abducted Mrs. Rachael Alamu, principal of Esinle Community High School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, along with pupils and teachers. The victims were held for 58 days before a federal rescue operation released them, with helicopters and the General Officer Commanding of the 2nd Mechanised Division arriving within an hour of the response.

During a Thanksgiving service at Antioch Baptist Church, Mrs. Alamu recounted that the seventh week of captivity was the hardest, as intensified military airstrikes caused fear of stray missiles that sometimes eclipsed the threat from the kidnappers. She also noted Governor Seyi Makinde’s earlier promise of release, which raised hope before the bombardment.

Professor Wole Alamu, her husband, testified that prolonged negotiations and threats from the abductors strained his health, leading him to block their phone numbers after three weeks. He thanked the security forces for their rapid deployment and urged fellow Christians to remain steadfast.