Oyo Teacher Explains Pupils' Native Attire After Rescue

Zacheri Olatund, a teacher, clarified that the primary school pupils who were rescued after being abducted wore native attire to counter social media claims suggesting they were part of a staged kidnapping. The pupils were taken on May 15 during an attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area, Oyo State.

Olatund, who spent 56 days in captivity with 43 other victims, stated that the attire was necessary to address allegations of a coordinated effort to wear Ankara outfits. He emphasized that the children were clean during their captivity, as the abductors occasionally washed their clothes.

Olatund rejected claims that the kidnapping was orchestrated, asserting that two individuals were killed during the ordeal. The rescue operation, which took place on July 10, involved the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, and local vigilante groups, and was conducted without any ransom payment.