The National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West Zone D, has called on the Federal Government to set up a dedicated intervention program for victims of terrorism, saying the pupils and teachers freed after 56 days in captivity in Oyo State require urgent and sustained support.
NANS issued the appeal through an open letter signed by its zonal coordinator, Adeyemo Josiah, released on Friday. The statement came hours after the successful rescue of schoolchildren and their teachers who were abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15.
NANS Calls for Trauma Counselling and Academic Rehabilitation
The student body said the federal government has directed significant resources toward rehabilitation programs for repentant insurgents and former militants. NANS argued that innocent victims of terrorism deserve equal or greater attention from the state.
“Children who have endured weeks in captivity, teachers subjected to unimaginable psychological trauma, and families left emotionally devastated deserve comprehensive rehabilitation and long-term support,” the association stated in the letter.
NANS outlined several areas it wants the proposed intervention program to cover. These include psychological counseling and trauma recovery services, free medical treatment and healthcare access, educational scholarships and academic rehabilitation for affected pupils, economic and social support for impacted families, and long-term monitoring to ensure full reintegration into normal life.
The group was direct about the principle behind the demand. “The victims of terrorism should never receive less attention than those who once perpetrated or supported acts of terror,” the letter read.
The association also praised President Bola Tinubu, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other agencies for securing the release of the hostages.
Rescue Operation Sends Warning to Kidnappers Across Southwest
NANS said the successful rescue operation should be read as a clear message to criminal elements operating across the South-West region. The group stated that the zone would not be allowed to become a shelter for terrorism or kidnapping.
“The Southwest of Nigeria is not, and will never become, a safe haven for terrorism,” the association declared.
The group also singled out Governor Makinde for maintaining close coordination with federal security agencies throughout the rescue operation. NANS said that collaboration between state and federal actors was central to the outcome.
The association pledged its continued cooperation with governments at all levels, security agencies, educational institutions, and community groups. NANS said it would support efforts around public sensitization, intelligence sharing, youth engagement, and peaceful coexistence in the region.
The appeal added student voices to a growing chorus of calls for structured government support for terrorism victims in Nigeria. Rights groups and civil society organizations have repeatedly raised concerns about the absence of a formal funded framework for survivors of abductions and attacks.
The federal government had not publicly responded to the NANS letter as of Friday evening. Details of any existing rehabilitation structure for terrorism victims were not immediately available from the relevant ministries.
Background: Oriire Abduction That Lasted 56 Days
The pupils and teachers were taken from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15. Their release on Friday ended a 56-day ordeal that drew national attention and put sustained pressure on security agencies.
President Tinubu confirmed that no ransom was paid and no concession was made during negotiations. Eight suspects have since been arrested in connection with the abduction, while others were killed during the security operation, according to the presidential spokesman.
The abduction was among the most high-profile mass kidnappings in the South-West in recent years. The region had previously been considered relatively stable compared to the North-West and North-East, where school abductions have been more frequent.
NANS said the rescue restored hope to families across the region and demonstrated that coordinated security efforts produce results. The group urged the government to ensure the rescued victims receive immediate access to professional mental health services without delay.
