Dozens of pupils and teachers who were abducted from three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State are expected to reunite with their families today, Monday, July 13.
The highly anticipated reunion follows their formal handover by the military to the Oyo State Government after undergoing a mandatory 48-hour period of medical observation and psychosocial support.
The 44 survivors regained their freedom last Friday after spending 56 grueling days in captivity.
Following their rescue, they were immediately moved to the Headquarters of the 2 Division Nigerian Army Medical Services at Odogbo Barracks in Ibadan for comprehensive medical evaluations.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who visited the rescued victims over the weekend, confirmed that the 48-hour medical window was necessary to assess their physical and mental well-being before integrating them back into society.
While state authorities have finalized logistics to return the children and educators to their communities, an air of cautious expectation remains, as the exact timing of the final clearance and release rests entirely with the military command structure.
The safe return of the hostages concludes a massive, multi-agency intelligence operation inside the Old Oyo National Park, which resulted in the neutralization of several bandits and the arrest of eight suspects now in DSS custody.
CULLED FROM PUNCH
