“I’m Not Afraid to Return to School”: Freed Oyo Pupil Recounts 56 Days in Captivity
A 15-year-old child who was freed from the abduction of Oriire school in Oyo State has shared his experience of being kidnapped, stating that he is not afraid of going back to school.
Bello Hassan was one of the pupils and teachers kidnapped from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15 and rescued after 56 days in captivity. He reported that armed men broke into his school during the time when pupils were taking a test and took the affected persons to the forest.
The teenager said the affected persons walked for a whole day before arriving at the kidnappers’ camp, where they were taken from one place to another under trees. He said the captors kept them from moving around and physically abused some teachers while they were held captive.
Efforts were made to support the affected persons’ recovery with medical and psychological care at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.
Although the experience was terrifying, Hassan told the reporter that he was not afraid to go back to school, which is a testament to the resilience of children who are impacted by violence.
Experts in child protection emphasize the need for ongoing psychosocial assistance for children who have been abducted, secure learning spaces and ongoing protection to support their recovery and their re-establishment of trust in education.
The Oriire incident has reignited the debate for better protection of schools and better safety measures to prevent attacks on children in the future.
