The husband of Oyo State school principal, Mrs Rachael Alamu, has revealed that he blocked the phone numbers of her kidnappers during negotiations after their repeated threats began to affect his health.
Professor Wole Alamu disclosed this while giving a testimony during a thanksgiving service following his wife’s release after more than 50 days in captivity.
Mrs Alamu, the principal of Ahoro Esinle School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, was abducted alongside pupils and teachers on May 15, 2026, and was later rescued in an operation announced by the Federal Government.
Recounting the ordeal, Professor Alamu described the kidnapping as the greatest challenge his family had ever faced, saying it disrupted their quiet life devoted to academics, work and Christian service.
He expressed appreciation to security agencies for their swift response, noting that senior military and police officers, along with aerial surveillance teams, were deployed shortly after the abduction.
The professor said he communicated with the kidnappers for about three weeks but eventually cut off contact because their threats repeatedly caused him emotional distress and dangerously elevated his blood pressure.
According to him, one threatening message left him too distressed to complete a scheduled medical check-up after his blood pressure spiked.
He said he eventually decided to block the abductors, believing continued communication was putting his own life at risk.
“You cannot kill me here and kill her there. Choose one,” he recalled telling himself after deciding to end all contact with the kidnappers.
Professor Alamu said the kidnappers later informed his wife that he had blocked their numbers and threatened to kill her, but she remained resolute and declared they would not succeed.
He also alleged that the abductors left a cutlass beside her, apparently expecting her to take her own life, but she refused, insisting neither she nor the kidnappers would end her life.
Reflecting on the experience, he said the ordeal strengthened his faith and taught him the importance of remaining steadfast in difficult times.
He also disclosed that the family received support from individuals and organisations within Nigeria and abroad, including calls from the United States and offers of assistance from non-governmental organisations.
Professor Alamu further appreciated members of both the Christian and Muslim communities for standing with his family throughout the period of captivity, describing the overwhelming support as a source of strength.
Quoting Psalm 126, he said the family’s sorrow had been turned into joy, adding that despite the painful experience, the ordeal had deepened his faith in God.
