An outpouring of emotion swept through the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) in Ogbomoso on Tuesday as schoolchildren and teachers rescued after 56 days in captivity were reunited with their families, bringing an end to one of Oyo State’s most harrowing kidnapping ordeals in recent years.
Parents who had gathered at the hospital from the early hours waMaited anxiously for doctors to certify the survivors fit to return home after undergoing medical and psychological assessments.
The atmosphere shifted from tense anticipation to jubilation when the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Prof Olawale Olakulehin, began reading out the names of those cleared for discharge.
As each name echoed through the hospital grounds, relatives rushed forward in tears. Mothers embraced children they had not seen for nearly two months, some collapsing in prayer or singing hymns of thanksgiving, while others lifted their sons and daughters into their arms amid scenes of relief and celebration.
Many of the families expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde, security agencies, religious leaders and Nigerians who, they said, had stood with them throughout the victims’ captivity.
Mary Dahunsi, one of the rescued teachers, left the hospital carrying her baby on her back alongside her husband.
“We thank God for life,” she said. “Thanks to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, security agencies, clerics and Nigerians for praying for us and for not forgetting us in the bush. We pray this does not happen to anyone.”
Despite the ordeal, several parents said they had no intention of abandoning their communities, rejecting suggestions that they relocate because of security concerns.
One mother, overwhelmed with emotion, said she was simply grateful that all four of her children, along with her son’s wife, had returned alive.
Hospital officials said 31 of the 39 rescued pupils had been discharged, while eight remained under observation for ongoing treatment.
Olakulehin disclosed that routine medical examinations had also uncovered a previously undiagnosed congenital heart defect in one of the children.
The child’s parents, he said, had been unaware of the condition before the hospital’s assessment.
“The child has a hole in the heart, which was discovered during our medical evaluation,” a hospital source said. “There is no cause for alarm because the child is stable and responding well to treatment. We will notify the Oyo State Government to facilitate the next phase of care.”
The hospital received 44 rescued victims — comprising pupils and teachers — from the Oyo State Government on Monday evening for comprehensive physical and psychological evaluation before they were reunited with their families.
Medical sources said around 35 survivors, including teachers and other adults, had been certified fit for discharge after completing the assessment process.
The reunions came as the Federal Government announced plans to strengthen security in Oriire Local Government Area, where the abduction took place.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said two military bases and specialised security units would be established in the area to improve surveillance and deter future attacks.
The mass abduction occurred on 15 May when armed bandits stormed Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, L.A. Primary School and Community Grammar School in Ahoro-Esienle, kidnapping 39 pupils and six teachers.
The victims regained their freedom on 10 July after spending 56 days in captivity. They were transferred to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital for medical examinations and psychological support before Tuesday’s emotional reunions with their families.
While the scenes at the hospital reflected relief and gratitude, they also underscored the lasting human cost of Nigeria’s persistent kidnapping crisis, which continues to expose the vulnerability of schools and rural communities despite repeated government pledges to improve security.
