Professor Wale Alamu says his wife's release from captivity has ended eight weeks of unbearable pain. The husband of Mrs Rachael Alamu, the school principal freed from kidnappers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, spoke to reporters after news of the victims' release broke on Friday.
"For the past eight weeks, I have been living through immense pain. Today, God has taken that pain away," he said.
The academic praised the coordinated efforts that secured the hostages' freedom, crediting both government agencies and everyday Nigerians. He said the successful rescue showed how people from different faiths and backgrounds united behind a common cause.
"I want to thank everyone who contributed to bringing an end to my suffering. I am grateful to the presidency, the state governor, the state executive council, Nigerians as a whole, Muslims, Christians and even traditional worshippers," he told Vanguard.
According to him, every contribution—no matter how small—mattered in securing the captives' release. He said he felt deep gratitude for the nationwide show of solidarity during the ordeal.
However, Professor Alamu warned that the crisis demanded serious lessons from authorities. He urged the government to conduct a thorough investigation into how the abduction happened in the first place.
"I believe everyone has learnt one lesson or another from this incident. Once a thorough review has been carried out, the government will identify the areas that need attention and take the necessary steps to ensure that such an unfortunate incident does not happen again," he added.
The professor stressed that schools and vulnerable communities need stronger security measures going forward. He called on officials to act on findings from their review to prevent future kidnappings.
