The family of a mathematics teacher, Michael Olugbade Oyedokun, beheaded by the Ansaru terrorist group who abducted pupils and teachers in three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State has announced a commendation and farewell service in his honour despite failed attempts to recover his remains.

A family member of Mr Oyedokun, who identified herself as @its_boukeey (Bukolami) on Instagram, confirmed the farewell ceremony in a post on Wednesday, accompanied by a tribute to the deceased. The ceremony is scheduled for 11:00 a.m at Eliz Event Centre, behind the Federal Road Safety Corps office in the High School area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

“151 days since we lost you, Olugbade Michael Oyedokun. For days, we waited and hoped we would find you, bring you home, and give you the farewell you deserved. Sadly, we are yet to find your body. The way your story ended was never what we imagined. It was never the goodbye we prayed for. Saying farewell without bringing you home is a pain words can hardly explain,” the family member said. 

Mr Oyedokun was among 46 victims, comprising 39 schoolchildren and seven teachers, kidnapped by the terrorists who raided Baptist Nursery and Primary School (Yawota), Community High School (Ahoro-Esinele), and L.A. Primary School (Ahoro-Esinele) in the the Oriire LGA on May 15.

In an attempt to pressure the government into meeting their demands, the terrorists beheaded Mr Oyedokun on the second day of captivity, according to the account of the principal of Community High School, Rachael Alamu, abducted alongside other victims.

Speaking during a briefing organised by the state government, Mrs Alamu said another teacher, Adesiyan Adegboye, was killed by the terrorists in captivity.

The remaining victims were eventually released on July 10 after spending 56 days in captivity after several protests by the Nigeria Union of Teachers and activists. However, while the body of Mr Adegboye was found, the remains of Mr Oyedokun were yet to be recovered despite repeated appeals to the authorities from the family. 

Ms Bukolami said the family waited for months hoping to recover the body of the deceased but had now made the decision to proceed with the farewell ceremony. He is survived by his wife and children. 

“Though we waited for the closure we desperately wanted, we cannot allow the absence of your body to mean the absence of a farewell. We have made the painful decision to hold a Commendation and Farewell Service in your honour — not because saying goodbye is easy, but because your life deserves to be celebrated and your name remembered,” she added. 

During a recent trial of some of the arrested terrorists at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, a witness, whose identity was not disclosed for security reasons, but identified as “BBB,” testified that Ansaru had the backing of international organisation Al-Qaeda. The witness said the terrorists abducted pupils and teachers to secure release of 30 of their leaders and members in gaol.

The suspects are Mahmud Muhammad (aka Abu Bara’a, Abbas Mukhtar); Abubakar Abbas (aka Isah Adam, Mahmuda Al-Nigeri); Abdulrazak Umar (aka Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid); Yunusa Musa (aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa); and Shamsu Adamu Sani (aka Abu Itisar).