Teacher Recounts 56 Days of Captivity After School Abduction in Oyo

Mr. Olatunde Olutuye Zaccheaus, a school counselor, has shared a gripping account of his 56-day captivity following an armed invasion of his school in Nigeria's Oyo State. Speaking emotionally in a telephone interview, Zaccheaus detailed the terrifying moments of the attack and the unexpected circumstances surrounding his eventual release.

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So what we just heard, we just heard the movement of a bike. Immediately we heard a shot of guns. They were shooting things sporadically.

The assault began with the sound of motorcycles, quickly followed by sporadic gunfire. As panic ensued, students shouted warnings about "bandits." Zaccheaus attempted to flee through a window but aggravated a pre-existing arthritis condition in his left leg, rendering him unable to keep pace with fleeing students. He urged them to save themselves, choosing to hide beneath thick grass, using leaves to camouflage his legs.

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Our students, the voice we were hearing from our students, they were saying, bandits, bandits, bandits, bandits.

His capture, he recounted, was due to the compassion of one of his students. A young girl refused to leave his hiding spot despite his pleas. When the abductors' commander approached her, her reaction and subsequent glance towards Zaccheaus's position inadvertently revealed him. The commander, surprised to see him, ordered him to stand, leading to his capture.

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So when I jumped through the window, when I wanted to land, I landed on the left leg I had arthritis. Oh, my God. So immediately I knew, ah, there was a problem. So I was unable to walk.

Zaccheaus's revelations have ignited controversy and public discussion regarding the circumstances of his and other victims' release. Questions linger about whether a ransom was paid or if a rescue operation involving a shootout took place, adding layers of intrigue to the already harrowing experience.

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I told them, please, you go. Don’t worry about me, let them not capture you.