A man identified only as Akanbi whose wife and an 18-month-old baby were abducted alongside some pupils and other teachers in schools located in Ahoro-Esinele community in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State last week has cried out for help.
In a video reviewed by the Peoples Gazette on Thursday, the man, who named his wife as Mary Akanbi, narrated the agony caused by the incident, appealing to abductors to free his family and kidnap him instead.
He stated, “My wife is a teacher at the school (where pupils and teachers were kidnapped). Her name is Mary Akanbi. She was kidnapped alongside my one-and-a-half year-old baby. The abductors of my wife and child should come for me instead and free my family. They have taken everything from me. They have ruined my life.”
The man said that the community had been deserted, adding that only families affected by the incident remained without any security protection.
“We the victims’ families are the ones left in this community. No security operatives are here with us,” he added.
In an earlier video, the teacher appealed to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde to come to their rescue.
She stated, “I am working at First Baptist School, Ogbomoso. They came to our school and kidnapped both the teachers and the children. We are all here. We need help from the government and the state government.
“We need the help of both the First Baptist Church and the community so that these people will release us. Please, help us. We need help from our President Tinubu. Please, help us.”
Recall that bandits Last Friday invaded LA School, Ahoro-Esinele, and Community Grammar School, Ahoro-Esinele, Oriire LGUBEA, killed a teacher and kidnapped schoolchildren and teachers.
A viral video on Sunday showed how a mathematics teacher, Michael Oyedokun, among those abducted, was shot and beheaded, prompting an immediate protest from teachers in the affected local government.
Another video also showed some residents in the affected communities fleeing their homes following the incident; a situation which strengthened Mr Akanbi’s claim that the community had been deserted by families not directly affected by the incident.
Meanwhile, Mr Makinde, in a press briefing on Monday, noted his administration’s readiness to address the possible demands that might be set by the abductors to ensure safe release of the captives.
Mr Tinubu also condemned the incident and promised to work with the Oyo State government to rescue the victims.
“I am saddened by the reported killing of one of the teachers kidnapped by the gunmen who invaded the community. I sympathise with Governor Seyi Makinde and commend the steps he has taken on the matter. I sympathise with the families of the kidnap victims,” the president stated.
