CITIZENS COMPASS— After 56 days in captivity, the students and teachers of some schools in Oriire Local Government area of Ogbomosho in Oyo State, recently regained their freedom although it could not be established whether ransom was paid.
Barely a week after the freedom, one of the teachers, Zacchaeus Olatunde, narrated how the Abductors disclosed that they were not members of the Islamic insurgents otherwise called Boko Haram but members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Recall that the students and teachers were abducted on May 15 and two deaths were recorded on the spot.
According to Zacchaeus, the abductors released the victims before security personnel later escorted them out of the forest.
The teacher spoke during a telephone interview with a radio station, Nigeria Info saying they were blindfolded throughout their stay in the forest.
We didn’t know if we were in Nigeria or another country.
They said they are not Boko Haram. They said they are Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Olatunde said the victims were fed twice daily with rice, beans and other basic food items but were not allowed to pray initially.
According to him, after about a month, the kidnappers allowed prayers but warned them “not to mention the name of Jesus and not to pray aloud.
