By Adesina Soyooye

In a first reaction to her rescue, along with her teacher-colleagues, pupils and students, Mrs Rachel Alamu, the Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, extended gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and appreciated what she described as the President’s commitment to their freedom.

She also expressed appreciation, on behalf of others, to all those who saw to their rescue.

While surrounded by other rescued victims, including the children, Mrs Alamu said:

“Hello Sir, our father, we are grateful.

“The President Sir, we are grateful. We understand your commitment to our safety, and we appreciate all you did for us. We could see your hand. Thank you very much.”

Extending appreciation to Security Operatives, she said: “And, all the Security Operatives, they tried so much, and that is why we are still alive now. We are very grateful unto you.

“Thank you. Thank you very much.”

And back to the President, she said again: “Thank you Sir. God bless you Sir.”

This was followed by a collective thanks from others: “Thank you Sir. God bless you Sir.”

According to the Presidency, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and some others shot dead.

All the rescued victims are said to be going through medical attention.

By Adesina Soyooye

Nobody can forget that heartbreaking video. There, Professor Wale Alamu, a University Dean, was, weeping on the shoulders of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde.

Governor Makinde had gone to the community of the kidnapped Oyo Teachers and pupils to console them, to share in their pains, and to reassure them that all will be well. While the Governor was speaking to them, Professor Alamu thought about the pain and agony of his wife, Rachel, the Principal of one of the schools, abducted along with 46 others, six teachers and 39 students and pupils included. He lost it.

First the Professor knelt down before the Governor. Taken aback, Makinde held him up. Then he held the Governor in a tight embrace and wept on his shoulders.

What pained him most was that his wife had become the face of the horrific incident. She became the spokesperson. She was the one their vicious abductors picked to relay their fate to the world. And he wept some more.

But on Friday, the tears were gone. They turned to joy. On hearing that his wife and others have been rescued, he told Vanguard Newspapers in an interview: “For the past eight weeks, I have been living through immense pain. Today, God has taken away that pain.

The academic, while expressing his appreciation to all those who helped to secure the freedom of the victims,  noted that it was a collective effort which cut across religious and social divides.

He told Vanguard: “I want to thank everyone who contributed to bringing an end to my suffering. I am grateful to the Presidency; the State Governor; the State Executive Council, Nigerians  as a whole, Muslims, Christians, and even traditional worshippers.

Everyone played a part, and I sincerely appreciate every contribution no matter how small towards securing the release of our people.

“I believe everyone has learnt one lesson or another from this incident. Once a thorough review has been carried out, the Government will identify the areas that need attention and take the necessary steps to ensure that such an unfortunate incident does not happen again.”

The victims were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, and rescued on July 10, 2026.

By Adesina Soyooye

The family of Michael Oyedokun, the  Math Teacher who was gruesomely beheaded while he in the custody of their abductors has received the rescue, on Friday, of the other victims with mixed feelings.

Oyedokun was, on May 15,  abducted along with his colleague-teachers and 39 of their pupils by heavily armed terrorists who invaded their schools in the morning. Inexplicably, he was beheaded and the gruesome action videos and posted.

It still is not known why the terrorists chose to behead Oyedokun, but it  sent Shockwaves to Nigerians who had become unshakable due to the flow of blood in their country no thanks to non state actors. Outrage greeted it and confirmed how dangerous and vicious the abductors were.

While genuinely happy with the other families whose children and relatives were rescued on Friday during a delicate joint security operation, the Oyedokuns are mourning the gruesome fate which befell their own. “They are finally home. But as others celebrate, my family mourns”,  said the family’s spokesperson, Oluwabukolami in a post on Friday.

She said the rescue of the victims does not, in anyway, diminish the pain  of the murder of her uncle.

She wrote and posted: “They are finally home. My heart rejoices with every family that has been reunited with their loved ones after weeks of pain, fear, and uncertainty. Welcome home.

“But as others celebrate, my family mourns.

“My uncle, Mr Michael Olugbade Oyedokun, will never come home. He was taken from us, and his life was brutally cut short. Our joy is incomplete because one chair at our table will remain empty forever.

“Today, we celebrate those who returned, while remembering the one who never did.

“Rest in peace Uncle Michael. You will never be forgotten.”

In a poster, the late Oyedokun family remembered him as “A faithful servant of God, teacher, pastor, interpreter, treasurer, and Apostolic Church member.

“Beheaded in Nigeria for his faith. We mourn. We miss him.

We honour his faith and sacrifices.”

One other teacher  was, also, shot dead in the school premises on the day of their abduction.

By Ayodele Oni

The abducted pupils and teachers of Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State have regained their freedom.

This cheery and heart-warming development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

In a shared post on his verified X handle, Onanuga simply announced that the victims had been released by their abductors.

“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.

Details of their freedom are still sketchy as at the time of this report.

Defence Minister had hinted few days ago that the security rescue team was very close to the bandits.