A teacher rescued after the abduction of pupils and staff in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has revealed that the victims had already been released by their captors before security operatives eventually met them and took them home.
The teacher made the disclosure during a live interview on Nigeria Info FM, where he recounted the final moments of their captivity and the difficult journey out of the forest.
How They Regained Their Freedom
According to him, he was the last person to leave the terrorists’ camp after an iron anchor fastened to his hand became stuck when it broke.
“When they released us, everybody had gone. One of them said maybe they should cut off my hand. The other said, ‘No, they should not cut off his hand. We will look for a way to remove the anchor.'”
He said the captors eventually used a small rope to free his hand, allowing him to leave the camp.
Commander Called Him Back
The teacher explained that as he tried to catch up with the other victims, the commander suddenly called him back at gunpoint.
Rather than harming him, the commander reportedly directed him on the safest route out of the forest. Another teacher joined him, and both men continued their escape.
Long Trek Before Meeting Security Officials
He said the victims walked for between 45 minutes and one hour before reaching motorcycles that conveyed them to a nearby village.
However, the motorcycles stopped about one hour and 30 minutes away from their destination, forcing the principal, vice principal, teachers, pupils and students to continue the journey on foot.
“We trekked for one hour 30 minutes before we got to where the government came to rescue us.”
The teacher insisted that the victims were no longer in the terrorists’ custody when they encountered security personnel.
“We had already been released before the soldiers came.”
The account adds a new dimension to the rescue operation, which followed the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State and their eventual return after weeks in captivity.
“Terr%rists released us before soldiers took us home” — Rescued Oyo teacher pic.twitter.com/TQfCDAZOHd
— Instablog9ja (@instablog9ja) July 19, 2026
