Kidnapped Ogbomoso school principal clarifies abductors’ demands, N1bn not Sharia Law
The abducted principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, Rachael Alamu, has dismissed reports circulating in the media that her abductors are demanding ₦1 billion ransom or the implementation of Sharia law as conditions for the release of kidnapped students and teachers.
In a video released on Monday, Alamu said the gunmen holding her and other victims in captivity are only insisting on the release of some of their detained associates, contrary to widespread claims of financial and ideological demands.
She warned that false reports were worsening the situation for the victims, stressing that misinformation could complicate efforts to secure their freedom.
According to her, the captives have not been subjected to any religious coercion since their abduction. She insisted that they have not been forced to practice Islam or adhere to any religious instruction while in captivity.
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“I have come to make some clarifications. Today makes it the 24th day that we have been in this place, and it seems that some people are already making our problem more complicated,” she said in the video.
She further dismissed reports alleging ransom demands of ₦1 billion and calls for Sharia law, stating that such claims were false and misleading.
“The single thing they are asking for is the release of some of their people,” she added, urging Nigerians to amplify the message and avoid spreading unverified information.
The incident traces back to May 15, when suspected bandits attacked three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, abducting about 39 students and seven teachers, sparking national outrage and protests led by the Nigerian Union of Teachers and other stakeholders.
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Following the crisis, the Oyo State House of Assembly rejected calls for negotiations with the abductors. The Speaker of the Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, cautioned that engaging kidnappers could encourage further attacks and strengthen criminal networks.
He argued that concessions to armed groups would set a dangerous precedent, warning against any arrangement that could embolden criminal activity.
His remarks, however, triggered widespread debate and a wave of misinformation across social media platforms regarding the nature of the kidnappers’ demands.
The abducted principal’s latest clarification is seen as an attempt to correct the narrative and refocus attention on securing the safe release of the victims still in captivity.
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