A teacher who was rescued after being held captive for about 56 days in the mass abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State says claims that the kidnapping was staged are false. In an interview video shared online, Zachery Olatunde, who was held with 43 other captives, explains that the pupils wore matching native attire when they regained freedom. He links the clothing to the fact that the abduction began on a Friday, a day he says is set aside for traditional wear in schools in the state.
Olatunde also addresses social media allegations that the children looked “too clean” after weeks in captivity, saying the abductors sometimes washed the captives’ clothes when they became dirty. He argues that the incident cannot be fake because two teachers died during the abduction.
Separately, the Federal Government says all 44 abducted pupils and teachers were rescued on July 10 through a joint operation involving agencies including the Nigerian Army, Police, DSS, Civil Defence, Amotekun and local vigilantes. The Presidency states no ransom was paid.
