A teacher who spent nearly two months in the custody of armed kidnappers after an attack on a secondary school in Oyo State has narrated the circumstances surrounding his abduction and eventual release.

Mr. Olatunde Olutuye Zaccheaus, a school counsellor who was among those taken during the invasion of a school in Ori Ire Local Government Area, said he endured 56 days in captivity before regaining his freedom alongside other victims.

Speaking during a telephone interview on a radio programme on Friday, Zaccheaus described his survival as a miracle, saying he was the last victim to be captured and eventually the last person to be released by the abductors.

The teacher recounted that the attack began suddenly while activities were ongoing at the school.

According to him, the first sign of danger was the sound of motorcycles approaching the premises before gunshots rang out.

“So what we just heard, we just heard the movement of a bike. Immediately we heard a shot of guns. They were shooting things sporadically,” he said.

He recalled that frightened students immediately began raising the alarm as the attackers stormed the area.

“Our students, the voice we were hearing from our students, they were saying, bandits, bandits, bandits, bandits,” he added.

Zaccheaus said he attempted to escape with other students but encountered difficulties because of a long-standing arthritis condition affecting his left leg.

According to him, the injury worsened after he jumped through a window while trying to flee.

“So when I jumped through the window, when I wanted to land, I landed on the left leg I had arthritis. Oh, my God. So immediately I knew, ah, there was a problem. So I was unable to walk,” he said.

Unable to keep pace with those helping him escape, the teacher said he encouraged the students around him to save themselves and leave him behind.

He then hid inside thick vegetation, hoping to avoid detection by the armed men.

However, he said events took an unexpected turn when one of his students remained close to where he was hiding despite repeated warnings for her to leave.

According to Zaccheaus, the student’s reaction during an encounter with the kidnappers inadvertently exposed his location.

“So he told me, stand up. That was how I was captured,” he recalled.

The teacher said many residents initially refused to believe he had been kidnapped because of the unusual circumstances surrounding his capture.

He explained that some members of the community believed he had escaped and gone into hiding rather than being taken away by the attackers.

During the weeks spent in captivity, Zaccheaus said the abductors communicated in different languages, including English and Yoruba.

He also disclosed that the captives were restricted in certain religious activities.

“After a month, they told us we should be praying, but we should not call the name of Jesus out. And whenever we were praying, we should not pray out so that they would not see or hear us,” he said.

In a surprising revelation, the teacher claimed that a health condition he had battled for years improved while he was in captivity.

According to him, medication provided by the abductors appeared to relieve the arthritis that had previously resisted several forms of treatment.

“The leg that I have spent a lot of money, I have tried many hospitals, that I have bought many medicines and used. When I got there, when I complained to them, they just gave me one drug. When I took the drug, the arthritis went. I stood up,” he said.

Zaccheaus also provided insight into the final moments before the victims regained their freedom.

He said the behaviour of the abductors changed noticeably on the day they were released.

According to him, the kidnappers appeared cheerful and informed the captives that they were free to go.

“They were just laughing, they were smiling. They said we should thank God that we have been freed. They said we should open our eyes,” he said.

The teacher revealed that his own departure was delayed because the key to his handcuffs could not be found.

He said he remained chained even after other victims had been freed.

“So there was no key to lose the handcuff on my hand. That was the way I was carrying the handcuff,” he stated.

At one point, he said some members of the group suggested a drastic solution.

“So one of them said maybe they should cut off my hand. So the other said no, they should not cut off my hand,” he recounted.

Eventually, he was released after the handcuffs were removed using an alternative method.

Zaccheaus further disclosed that he became confused while trying to find his way out of the forest and was forced to retrace his steps after being called back by the group’s commander.

He said the victims trekked for about an hour before reaching motorcycles that transported them closer to safety.

After another lengthy journey on foot, they eventually encountered government operatives.

Reflecting on the experience, the teacher described their freedom as nothing short of divine intervention.

“The way we were rescued was miraculous. It was people’s prayers and God’s help. Let me put it that way,” he said.

The former captive also acknowledged efforts made by the Oyo State Government during the period of the crisis, although he noted that details regarding financial assistance for affected teachers remained uncertain.

The abduction shocked residents of the area and raised fresh concerns over the security of schools in parts of the state. While criminal activities had previously been reported in surrounding communities, Zaccheaus said the incident marked the first time a school in the area had experienced such an attack.