By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikirun Branch, has called on the Federal Government and the Oyo State Government to provide psychological support to the abducted students and teachers of Oriire schools who were rescued on Friday, July 10.
The NBA called on the governments to establish specialised trauma rehabilitation centres for victims of violent crimes, adding that the rescue of the Oriire students and teachers must be followed by long-term healing and institutional reforms.
The association made the call in a statement issued on Saturday, July 11, and signed by the Branch Chairman, Abdulkareem Azeez, and the Publicity Secretary, T. B. Ayodele.
It expressed concern over the psychological impact of the 56 days the victims spent in captivity, noting that most of the survivors are young children.
“Child psychology dictates that these raw, uncensored experiences of violence, torture and unreported sexual abuse will be deeply integrated into their developing minds,” the statement said.
The association added that, unlike adults, children face greater difficulties readjusting to normal life, rebuilding trust, and overcoming the horrors they witnessed.
“The societal victory of their physical rescue remains incomplete until comprehensive, long-term measures are taken to heal their invisible wounds,” it added.
The NBA further commended security agencies, government officials, and citizens whose advocacy contributed to the release of the victims 56 days after their abduction.
It said that while reports that about eight suspects were arrested and several bandits killed during the operation offer “a measure of justice, the incident remains a reminder of the fragile security environment that allowed the atrocity to occur.
The NBA described the abduction as a systemic failure to uphold constitutional obligations, adding that according to Chapters II and IV of the 1999 Constitution, the state is mandated to guarantee the safety and fundamental rights of all citizens.
“It is an indictment of the nation’s current state that citizens must celebrate the mere restoration of basic freedoms that should never have been threatened,” it said.
The association recommended four strategic measures that should be adopted to ensure the rescue marks a turning point.
First, it urged the Federal Government and state governments to establish fully funded trauma rehabilitation centres to provide psychiatric care, clinical therapy and cognitive behavioural counselling, especially for children, while protecting survivors from stigmatisation.
Second, it called on law enforcement agencies to deploy advanced intelligence interrogation techniques on the arrested suspects to trace funding networks, identify weapon supply chains, and dismantle wider criminal syndicates.
Third, the association called for mandatory security upgrades in rural schools, including perimeter fencing, direct communication links to rapid-response units, and emergency preparedness training for staff.
Finally, the NBA urged the judiciary and civil society to enforce constitutional accountability through rigorous audits of security budgets to ensure funds are directed towards tactical capabilities and community policing rather than “administrative overhead or political gestures.”
It further reiterated that it remains committed to advocating for an environment in which every Nigerian can live without fear.
“Leadership across all levels must adopt a utilitarian approach that prioritises the collective well-being and security of the populace,” the statement added.
