The principal of Community High School, Esiele in Oyo State, Mrs. Rachael Alamu, has dismissed claims that her abductors are demanding the enforcement of Sharia law or forcing their captives to practise Islam.

In a video circulating on social media, the kidnapped principal appealed to Nigerians to disregard reports linking the abductors to demands for Sharia law, money or weapons, insisting that such claims were false and only worsening their situation.

According to her, the abductors have not subjected the captives to any form of religious pressure since they were taken.

Alamu maintained that the only demand made by the abductors was the release of some of their associates, adding that rumours suggesting otherwise were creating unnecessary difficulties for the captives.

She appealed to Nigerians not to politicise their ordeal and urged members of the public to help spread the information in order to correct what she described as misleading narratives about the abductors’ demands.

The principal also accused the government of misrepresenting the situation by linking the kidnappers to demands for Sharia law, money and weapons.

She insisted that their sole request was the release of some individuals known to them.

She called on Nigerians to support efforts aimed at publicising the true circumstances surrounding their captivity.

She said, “Today makes it the 24th day that we have been in this place, and it seems that some people are making our problems complicated already.

“We were shown some print media where it was stated that these people who abducted us requested the release of some people, they requested a billion Naira, and they requested for Sharia to be entrenched in the country.

"These are not true. They are just trying to create problems for us.

“We have been here, and since then we have not been forced to worship in an Islamic way. We have been left alone. They have not troubled us concerning that. They are not asking for Sharia law. They are not asking for money.

“The single thing they are asking for is the release of some of their people. I don’t know why they are peddling this rumour to make it complicated for us.

“Please, we are just begging you. Don’t play politics with our lives. Nigerians, please help us to circulate this. Let it go viral.

“They are not asking for Sharia law. It is not true. They are not asking for weapons. They are not asking for money. All they want is the release of some people, and the government will negotiate with them and know those that they will release for them

“I don’t know why they are playing politics with our lives. Please, Nigerians, our lives are in your hands. Help us make this go viral.

“Don’t let the government deceive the whole world. They are not asking for Sharia. They are not asking for money. They are not asking for weapons. All they want is the release of some of their people. Please, let everybody know about this.”

Alamu was abducted alongside teachers, pupils and residents after heavily armed gunmen invaded schools and surrounding communities in the Esiele and Yawota areas of Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.