44 Oyo School Kidnap Victims Reunite With Families After Hospital Discharge

Forty-four pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State began reuniting with their families on Tuesday evening after discharge from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso. AllAfrica reported that the victims had spent 56 days in captivity following their abduction on 15 May from Community High School Ahoro-Esinele, Primary School Esinele and Baptist Nursery and Primary School Yawota in Oriire Local Government Area.

The Nigerian military formally handed the victims over to the Oyo State Government on Monday.

They remained under medical observation for 24 hours before hospital officials called out names and released them to waiting relatives. TVCNews reported that 31 victims have been discharged while one is being diagnosed with a heart defect. Emotional scenes occurred at the hospital as parents embraced returning children.

One mother of a rescued pupil named Testimony publicly thanked God, Governor Seyi Makinde, President Tinubu, the Army, vigilantes and those who supported them with prayers. Principal Rachael Alamu of Community High School Esinele described the ordeal in statements to AllAfrica.

She said the kidnappers repeatedly relocated captives at night, sometimes forcing them to walk three to four hours, and that younger children were beaten while male captives were blindfolded, handcuffed and chained.

Alamu stated that the abductors killed two teachers, including mathematics teacher Michael Oyedokun, whose beheading was shown in a circulated video, to pressure the government. The rescue involved the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Police, State Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and vigilantes.