Rescued Oriire pupils, staff reunited with family and loved ones

Rescued pupils and teachers abducted in Oyo State’s Oriire Local Government Area began reuniting with their families Tuesday evening, following discharge from LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso.

Hospital Chief Medical Director Olawale Olakulehin said 31 of 39 admitted pupils have been certified medically fit and discharged, while 8 remain under observation, including one child diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. Emotional scenes unfolded as parents embraced returning children, with hospital staff calling out names one by one.

The victims, comprising 39 pupils and 7 teachers, were abducted on May 15 when gunmen suspected to be from the group Ansaru stormed three schools in Oriire. They were rescued on July 10 after 56 days in captivity, in a joint operation involving the Army, Air Force, Police, DSS, NSCDC, Amotekun and local vigilantes.

Principal Rachael Alamu, speaking after Monday’s formal handover to the state government, described nightly forest treks lasting hours to evade approaching troops, the beating of crying young pupils, and said kidnappers deliberately killed two teachers, including Michael Oyedokun, to pressure authorities into meeting their demands.

Also read: 7 kidnapped travellers rescued along Riyom-Abuja highway