A 15-year-old pupil, Bello Hassan, has narrated his 56-day ordeal after being abducted from his school in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, saying the experience has not discouraged him from returning to school.
Hassan spoke to journalists on Wednesday after he and other rescued pupils and teachers were discharged from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, where they underwent medical treatment and psychological rehabilitation.
He recalled that he was writing a test when armed men stormed the school and forced pupils and teachers into the forest at gunpoint.
“When I was in captivity, I was scared that my parents were at home and there was nobody to save me. I was in school writing a test when the gunmen invaded the school. When we saw the guns with the gunmen, we were scared, and they ordered us to march out and follow them,” he said.
The teenager said the victims trekked throughout the day before arriving at the kidnappers’ camp around 7 p.m. and were repeatedly moved between different locations.
“We didn’t know where they took us, and we trekked for a day. We got to their location around 7 p.m. They moved us from one location to another for days,” he said.
Hassan explained that the abductees slept under trees and were exposed to harsh weather, although the kidnappers covered them with nylon whenever it rained.
“They cooked rice for us. They asked the females among us to cook for us, and later they started cooking for us. Whenever rain was about to fall, they covered us with nylon because we stayed under the tree,” Hassan said.
He added that while the pupils were not beaten, the teachers were flogged and everyone was kept under strict watch.
“The gunmen didn’t beat us, but only flogged our teachers. They didn’t allow us to play around or do whatever we liked,” he added.
Asked about reports that two teachers, identified as Mr Michael and Deacon, were killed in captivity, Hassan said he did not witness the incident.
“No, I didn’t witness it. They were killed in another place,” he said.
He also noted that the abductors spoke English, Hausa and other languages during the period of captivity.
Despite the traumatic experience, Hassan said he remains determined to continue his education.
“Since my return, I am not afraid. If God wills, I will return to school in the area,” he said.
Hassan was among the 44 pupils and teachers rescued on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity following the May 15 attack on three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area. They were later admitted to the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso for medical evaluation and psychological support before being discharged.