Fresh footage released by gunmen who abducted teachers and pupils in Oyo State has heightened fears over the fate of the victims, with another captive making an emotional appeal for urgent government intervention and negotiations.
The latest video, now circulating online, showed a distressed woman who identified herself as a staff member of First Baptist Church in Ogbomoso pleading with the Federal Government, Oyo State Government, church authorities and members of the public to secure their freedom.
According to the woman, the abductors invaded their school and whisked away teachers alongside children, who are now being held under difficult conditions inside a forest.
“I’m from Ibadan. I’m working at First Baptist Church in Ogbomoso, Yawota area. Yesterday, the people came to our school and kidnapped both the teachers and the children,” she said tearfully.
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“We are here, we need help from the government and the state government, both the church, First Baptist Church in Yawota and the community. We need your help so that these people will release us.”
The woman repeatedly appealed for immediate intervention, lamenting that the abducted children were crying and terrified.
“Please help us. We need help from our president. We need help from our state government. Please help us. The children are here, they are crying so that we will not waste our lives,” she added.
The newly released footage surfaced barely hours after another victim, Mrs. Racheal Alamu, principal of Community High School, Esiele, also appeared in a separate video from captivity calling on authorities and Nigerians to intervene.
Gunmen had attacked LA Primary School and Community Grammar School in Ahoro-Esiele Community, Oriire Local Government Area on Friday, abducting pupils, students and members of staff during the invasion.
The assault reportedly claimed the life of a teacher, while the school principal, two vice principals and three teachers were taken away by the attackers.
In the earlier video obtained on Sunday, Mrs. Alamu said the armed men stormed the school around 9:30 a.m. before forcing staff members and students into the forest.
“I am Mrs. Alamu. I am the principal of Community High School in Oyo State. On Friday, around 9:30, we were attacked by a certain group of people, and a good number of us were abducted,” she said.
“The staff and the students as well, and we have been here since Friday.”
The principal appealed for peaceful negotiations to ensure the captives returned home alive.
“I am making this video to ask for help from everyone, starting from the Federal Government of Nigeria, and the Oyo State Government, the Christian Association of Nigeria, and all well-meaning Nigerians, that they should come to our help and settle these things peacefully, so that our lives will not be lost,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Government said security forces had tightened operations around the National Park axis to prevent the abductors from escaping into neighbouring states.
The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, disclosed this in a statement issued in Ibadan, noting that coordinated security operations had effectively restricted the movement of the suspected kidnappers.
“The suspected bandits have been effectively confined within the National Park axis, following coordinated security operations aimed at preventing their movement into neighbouring states,” the statement read.
According to Oyelade, rescue operations commenced immediately after the attack, involving personnel of the Nigerian Army, Civil Defence Agro Rangers and the Nigeria Police Force, including officers from the Monitoring Unit.
He added that intelligence reports indicated the suspects were still hiding within the National Park area of Oyo State, prompting intensified patrols.
The commissioner further disclosed that three patrol teams comprising Amotekun operatives and local hunters drawn from seven local government areas in Oke-Ogun had been deployed through Igbeti towards Oloka and nearby communities.
He, however, said authorities were yet to establish direct communication with the abductors and noted that the exact number of abducted pupils had not been confirmed.
“The school authorities have yet to provide accurate records of missing children,” he said.
Oyelade assured residents that the government and security agencies were working round the clock to secure the safe release of all victims.