Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the principal of Ahoro Esinle School in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State, has clarified why her first question upon regaining her freedom was about her vehicle.
Following her rescue alongside abducted pupils and teachers, Mrs. Alamu explained that she had assumed the police had recovered the car, only to learn later that it had been destroyed by their captors.
Speaking on Monday after being formally handed over to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde at the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, Mrs. Alamu addressed the viral reaction to her inquiry.
“What actually happened is I thought they left the car there. The police would have towed the car to their office. But somebody showed me the car where it was burnt, and that was not the part we took. So I thought… I think they drove it to that point before it was burnt. That was not the way we took,” she stated.
When asked if the traumatic ordeal would impact her long-standing career, Mrs. Alamu expressed uncertainty regarding her immediate return to the profession.
Having served for 28 years, she noted that she only has four years remaining in the civil service.
“With time, I’ve worked for 28 years, so I have four years. With time, maybe I can get over it. But going that far, the distance between that place… is far already. So I sacrifice a lot when it comes to transportation. Now coupled with this, I don’t know what will happen,” she added.
The rescue of Mrs. Alamu and her students marks the end of a harrowing 56-day captivity that began when gunmen invaded their school on May 15, 2026.
