The 39 pupils and seven teachers rescued after spending 56 days in captivity following their abduction in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are expected to reunite with their families today after undergoing medical examinations and security debriefings.
The victims were freed in a coordinated security operation involving the military and other security agencies, ending nearly two months of uncertainty after they were kidnapped during attacks on three schools on May 15. Eight suspects were arrested during the operation, while several others were neutralised.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde said the government’s immediate priority is to reunite the rescued pupils and teachers with their families and provide them with medical care, trauma counselling and rehabilitation to aid their recovery from the ordeal.
The rescue has been welcomed by parents, residents and education stakeholders, who had repeatedly called for intensified efforts to secure the victims’ release after weeks in captivity.
