A witness for the Department of State Services (DSS) has told the Federal High Court in Abuja how 49 students and teachers abducted from schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State endured 56 days in captivity under harsh conditions.

The witness, identified as “AAA” to protect her identity, gave the account on Thursday while testifying before Justice Salim Ibrahim in the trial of five defendants accused of belonging to the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) terrorist group.

The witness was led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.

She told the court that the victims were moved through six different locations during their captivity, where they were forced to walk barefoot and sleep on grass while being exposed to rain and intense sunlight.

According to her, the abductors stormed the schools on 12 motorcycles on the day of the incident, firing shots and preventing the students and teachers from escaping.

She said the victims were subsequently taken into the bush, with about four people reportedly placed on each motorcycle, while a Toyota car belonging to one of the teachers was also used to transport some of the victims.

The witness said the leader of the abductors told them that they were being held to secure the release of detained members of the Ansaru group rather than for ransom.

She further alleged that two teachers, Deacon John Olaleye and Michael Oyedokun, were brought out on separate occasions and beheaded after the abductors accused the government of failing to meet their demands.

According to her, the kidnappers seized the victims’ phones and used them to contact relatives and government officials to communicate their grievances.

The witness described the victims’ living conditions in the bush as severe, saying they suffered from hunger and a shortage of drinking water.

She said the victims initially survived on rice, salt and palm oil, but were later left with only rice after the salt and palm oil were exhausted.

She added that at some point, one cup of water was shared among four victims.

The witness also said children as young as one and a half years old were among those abducted and remained in captivity throughout the 56-day ordeal.

She alleged that the younger children were flogged while eating to prevent them from struggling over the limited food and were served meals in a dirty rubber bucket.

She further told the court that the victims were not allowed to bathe or wash their clothes during their captivity.

According to her, they were sometimes forced to close their eyes before drinking the dirty water supplied by their captors, saying they had to consume it to survive.

The witness said the victims were eventually rescued at the sixth camp after security operatives engaged the abductors in a gun battle.

Meanwhile, defence counsel Bala Dakum is expected to cross-examine the DSS witness on Friday, September 18.

Justice Salim Ibrahim also ordered that the five defendants remain in DSS custody throughout the duration of the trial.