Oyo State Terrorist Attack: Eyewitness Account Reveals Horrific Details of Kidnapping and Deaths

 IBADAN, Nigeria

 A harrowing account has emerged from Mr. Zacheaus Olatunde, a survivor of a 56-day kidnapping ordeal that began on May 15, 2026. Olatunde's testimony sheds light on the brutal deaths of two fellow captives, Mr. Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye, at the hands of their abductors.

According to Olatunde, Mr. Michael Oyedokun's death was a direct consequence of perceived disobedience. "Terrorists said Mr Michael Oyedokun disobeyed them, they said he died because he disobeyed their order," Olatunde recounted. He explained that during their initial capture, all captives were instructed to surrender their phones. Oyedokun, however, reportedly failed to comply, a fact discovered by a terrorist who found a phone in his pocket. This led to a violent confrontation, escalating to the attention of the terrorist commanders.

"The General commander said; If I didn't kill anyone...I must kill this man for disobeying my order," Olatunde stated, highlighting the strict and unforgiving nature of their captors. The following day, Mr. Oyedokun was brutally killed. "He was shouting as they were dragging him away, he was begging and his noise was so loud but later...no more noise," Olatunde painfully recalled. Disturbingly, a young terrorist, estimated to be 17 or 18 years old, was later seen celebrating Oyedokun's death with dancing and singing.

Deacon John Olaleye met his tragic end on June 7, murdered because the terrorists claimed military personnel were approaching their location. Olatunde clarified that neither Oyedokun nor Olaleye were killed in their presence. "They came to take them away and go to another place to carry out that evil act. We were only hearing their noises," he explained.

The survivors endured horrific conditions for 56 days, held in a tent, chained, and handcuffed. They were blindfolded and had to beg for permission to relieve themselves. The captors frequently changed locations and subjected the captives to beatings, often punishing them for the transgressions of younger children among the group.

Despite their cruelty, Olatunde noted a peculiar adherence to religious practices by the terrorists. "When it's time for them to pray, they didn't joke with it. They prayed a lot and recited Quran. They would never miss their prayers," he said. Conversely, the captives were forbidden from practicing their own faith. "We men suffered a lot, they should not see us praying, anytime they noticed we were praying...they would beat hell out of us. They said they didn't want us to pray or call Jesus."

The terrorists' primary demand was not monetary ransom, but the release of their arrested members. The captives were eventually released willingly by their abductors, who stated that military forces had abducted their families and they hoped for a reciprocal release. The terrorists even provided directions, guiding them to a point where security personnel were waiting.

Olatunde described the moment of release: "I was the one carrying everyone when we reached the streams, I carried almost those little children because most of them were already weak. After a short trek, we saw some security men who have been waiting to receive us."

The diet during captivity was meager, consisting mainly of rice and red oil, often without salt or pepper. A brief improvement in their treatment occurred after Mr. John Olaleye's death, when the terrorists learned of their families' abduction by soldiers. They even killed a deer and a grasscutter for the captives.

Upon reaching Ibadan, Olatunde was able to identify one of the terrorists from photographs shown by a military commander, who informed him that eight of the abductors had been arrested and others neutralized.

"We thank God that we survived but we are not happy that Mr Michael Oyedokun and Mr John Olaleye could not come back," Olatunde concluded, reflecting the bittersweet relief of survival overshadowed by the loss of his companions.