By Chioma Obinna
The release of the Oyo schoolchildren after more than 50 days in captivity has once again brought to the fore the often-overlooked physical and psychological toll of kidnapping. While the return of victims is widely celebrated, medical experts warn that
freedom from captivity does not necessarily mark the end of their ordeal. Sunday Vanguard spoke to the President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Afekhide Ernest Omoti, on the hidden health consequences of kidnapping, why survivors require urgent medical and psychological care, and what government, families and communities must do to support their recovery.
For him, survivors require immediate and comprehensive medical attention, trauma-informed psychological care and long-term rehabilitation to recover fully from the hidden effects of captivity.
He warned that untreated physical injuries, infectious diseases, malnutrition and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are among the health challenges that can persist long after victims regain their freedom.
