Terrorists that kidnapped pupils, students, and staff members of three different schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, on May 15, 2026, have demanded the release of their fellow criminals arrested by security operatives.

Speaking through one of the abductees, Rachael Alamu, who is the principal of Community High School, in Ahoro-Esinle, in a video on Monday, the terrorists insisted that they won’t release the victims in their custody until their demand is met.

The distraught principal said, “I’ve 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 making our problems to be complicated already. 

“We were shown some print media where it was stated that these people that abducted us, requested for release of some people, N1 billion, Sharia to be entrenched in the country. These are not true, they are just trying to create problems for us. 

“We’ve been here since, we’ve not been forced to worship in Islamic way. We’ve been left alone, they’ve not troubled us concerning that. They are not asking for Sharia law or money, the single thing they’re asking for is the release of some of their people. I don’t know why they’re peddling this rumour to make it complicated for us.

“Please, we’re just begging you, don’t play politics with our lives. Nigerians, please help us circulate this, let it go viral. They are not asking for weapons or money, all they want is the release of some people and the government will negotiate with them and know those that they will release for them. 

“I don’t know why they are playing politics with our lives. Please, Nigerians, our lives are in your hands, don’t let the government deceive the whole world, they are not asking for Shariah or money or weapons, all they want is release of some of their people.”

The terrorists were said to have rode motorcycles to attack Mrs Alamu’s school, Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, and L.A Primary School in Esiele, all in the same LGA, from where they whisked the victims away.

During the attack, the terrorists shot and killed an assistant headmaster Joel Adesiyan, and a transporter resisting attempts by the attackers to seize his motorcycle.

On  May 17,  the terrorists released a video, showing them beheading one of the abductees who is a Mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun.