Freed Oyo pupils and their teacher
It is a welcome relief that the kidnapped students and teachers of Oriire community have finally been released. However, their freedom should not be taken to mean that life has returned to normal for them. Many who have been freed by kidnappers become slaves of psychological trauma from their experiences of fear, humiliation, violence, uncertainty and helplessness during their ordeal. They must be given emergency, ongoing and professionally coordinated psychotherapy when they get back home.
We are blessed that the students and teachers have regained their freedom. The emotional agonies that many of us suffered, especially following the wicked slaughter of a schoolteacher is unimaginable. Many of being careless over the need to understand trauma and its scars.
What is now urgent is an immediate therapy. Kidnapped students and teachers of the Oriire community must receive long-term psychosocial support immediately following their release. Survival does not end physical captivity but begins mental captivity. After trauma, survivors may feel afraid, anxious, depressed, ashamed, jumpy, have bad dreams, feel unable to trust others, shut down emotionally, or have trouble concentrating. They may experience repeated memories of the violence and threats they endured. Children can act out inappropriately by being unusually quiet, aggressive, clingy, fearful of school, or unable to sleep at night. Teachers may feel guilty for being unable to protect their students or themselves and may feel helpless and experience severe post-traumatic stress. If teachers do not receive care from a professional, trauma wounds can fester and impair students’ ability to learn as well as their family life, social integration, and future wellbeing.
