Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
In a fresh video message from captivity, the abducted Principal of Community High School in Esiele, Oriire Local Government Area, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, has strongly refuted widely circulated reports that her captors are demanding a ₦1 billion ransom, luxury vehicles, and the adoption of Sharia law in Oyo State. Marking the 24th day of her ordeal, she described those reports as false, politically motivated fabrications that are endangering the lives of the 46 victims still held in a forest enclave.
Speaking from an undisclosed location, Mrs. Alamu dismissed the viral claims that the kidnappers were demanding the implementation of Sharia law, money, or weapons, insisting that such reports were false and misleading. “Today marks the 24th day that we have been in this place and it seems that some people are making our problems to be complicated already… these are not true,” she said. “They are just trying to create problems for us… they are not asking for Sharia law, they are not asking for money, they are not asking for weapons. All they want is the release of some people.” She further appealed for caution in how information is shared, warning that misinformation could worsen their situation and affect ongoing efforts to secure their release.
The principal's denial has thrown a harsh light on the chaotic information war surrounding the mass abduction, which took place on May 15, 2026. The incident, one of the most devastating in the South-West, saw heavily armed bandits storm three schools in the Oriire LGA, abducting 46 people, including 39 pupils (some as young as two years old) and seven teachers, after reportedly killing one teacher during the raid. In the days following the incident, the kidnappers had reportedly made a series of shocking demands, including the release of high-profile terror commanders, a ₦1 billion ransom payable to a bank account in the Republic of Benin, the supply of two Toyota Hilux vehicles, and the implementation of Sharia law in the state. These reports gained traction, triggering widespread panic and leading to the trending of the “Sharia” hashtag on social media.
However, Mrs. Alamu insisted that the true motive behind the abduction was a prisoner swap. She stated the captors are solely focused on the release of some of their detained members. “All they want is the release of some people,” she reiterated. This aligns with the accounts of families and security sources, which have identified the kidnapping as a likely operation by Ansaru, an al-Qaeda affiliate, seeking to negotiate the release of their leaders currently standing trial on terrorism charges in Abuja.
Meanwhile, Muslim communities across Oyo State have vehemently rejected the purported Sharia law demands, issuing a strong statement to distance Islam from the kidnappers' actions. The Muslim community in Oyo State has condemned the Sharia-related demands, declaring that the criminals do not represent Islam or Muslims.
While Mrs. Alamu debunked the political demands, she reinforced the urgent plea for dialogue. She insisted that a government-led forceful rescue operation, which had reportedly been attempted, would be a death sentence for the captives. “They have promised to kill all of us if any of the armies come into the bush again,” she added. She pleaded with the Oyo State and Federal Governments to resort to dialogue, stating, “We want you to call them and dialogue with them, so that our lives will be saved.”
The state government has continued to mobilize resources, with the Nigerian Air Force maintaining aerial surveillance, but with the principal herself urging the government to “give them whatever they ask for,” the 46 victims remain at the mercy of the wild, as their 25th day in captivity looms.
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