By <\/strong>Lola Akande, Ibadan<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Wole Alamu, husband of Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the Oyo State school principal who recently regained her freedom after spending more than 50 days in captivity, has disclosed that he was compelled to block the kidnappers\u2019 phone numbers during negotiations because their repeated threats were severely affecting his health and emotional well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking during a thanksgiving service organised to celebrate his wife’s safe return, Professor Alamu recounted the emotional trauma he endured throughout the period of her captivity. According to him, constant communication with the abductors left him psychologically exhausted and contributed to a significant rise in his blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mrs. Alamu, the principal of Ahoro Esinle School in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, was abducted alongside teachers and pupils on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked the school community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The victims spent more than 50 days in captivity before eventually regaining their freedom following a rescue operation announced by the Federal Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflecting on the ordeal, Professor Alamu described the incident as the most difficult challenge his family had ever faced. He explained that before the abduction, his family had maintained a quiet and peaceful lifestyle focused on academics, professional responsibilities, and Christian service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to him, the kidnapping thrust the family into an unwanted public spotlight and disrupted their normal way of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He acknowledged that his wife’s abduction was a painful and embarrassing experience but expressed gratitude to God and the security agencies for their swift response after the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Alamu revealed that senior military and police officials mobilised immediately after the abduction was reported. He noted that the General Officer Commanding the 2 Mechanised Division and the Commissioner of Police were actively involved in the response, while helicopters were deployed to search the forests where the victims were believed to have been taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He described the rapid intervention as evidence of divine favour and the result of prayers offered by family members, friends, and members of the Christian community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Addressing worshippers during the service, the professor urged Christians to remain steadfast in their faith, stressing that difficult situations often expose the true strength of an individual’s spiritual foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He admitted that despite initially believing he was emotionally strong enough to withstand the pressure, the experience humbled him and revealed the limits of human endurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to him, the night of the abduction was the longest and most difficult night of his life, a period that tested his faith and emotional resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Alamu further stated that the experience reinforced the importance of maintaining a close relationship with God before crises arise, noting that adversity often challenges a person’s convictions and spiritual confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He disclosed that he communicated directly with the kidnappers for approximately three weeks after the abduction. However, the repeated threats and psychological pressure eventually became unbearable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He recalled receiving threatening messages shortly before a medical appointment and becoming so distressed that his blood pressure rose significantly, making it impossible for him to proceed with the examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concerned that the stress could endanger his own life, Professor Alamu said he eventually decided to block all communication channels with the abductors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to him, he concluded that allowing the kidnappers to continue tormenting him psychologically would only create another tragedy for the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He later learned that the kidnappers confronted his wife after discovering that their calls and messages had been blocked. They allegedly threatened to kill her, but she remained resolute and refused to be intimidated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Alamu praised his wife’s courage, saying she consistently responded with faith and confidence despite the dangers surrounding her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He further alleged that the abductors once left a cutlass beside her, apparently hoping she would take her own life. However, Mrs. Alamu reportedly rejected the idea and maintained her determination to survive the ordeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to him, her bravery and unwavering faith played a significant role in sustaining her throughout the period of captivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The professor also revealed that the kidnapping attracted widespread sympathy and support from individuals, religious groups, and organisations both within Nigeria and abroad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He said he received calls and messages from Nigerians living in the United States, including California and Los Angeles, while several non-governmental organisations expressed interest in supporting efforts aimed at securing his wife’s release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the organisations reportedly offered to assist with negotiations, although certain proposals later required government involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Alamu used the occasion to encourage Christians to take their faith seriously, arguing that difficult moments often reveal the depth of one’s relationship with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He also expressed appreciation to people of different religious backgrounds who stood by his family during the crisis, particularly members of the Muslim community in Oyo State and at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, who visited and offered support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Concluding his testimony, Professor Alamu said the experience remains the greatest trial he has faced since becoming a Christian in 1990. However, he added that the ordeal ultimately strengthened his faith and reinforced his belief in God’s ability to deliver people from seemingly impossible situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He described his wife’s safe return as a testimony of divine intervention and a source of renewed hope for the entire family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Lola Akande, Ibadan Professor Wole Alamu, husband of Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the Oyo State school principal who recently regained her freedom after spending more than 50 days in captivity,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":26600,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27208","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pages"],"yoast_head":"\n