Two Nigerian conjoined twins, Hassana and Hussaina, have returned to Kano following a life-saving surgery in Saudi Arabia that separated them after months of careful planning and a complex 14-hour procedure.
The twins arrived at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport on Friday, where they were warmly received by Governor Abba Yusuf, family members, community leaders, and the Consular General of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Kano, Khalil Ahmed Al-Admawi.
The surgery, performed at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh, was sponsored by the Saudi Arabian government under the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Conducted by a 38-member medical team, the operation was completed in nine intricate stages and was described as one of the most challenging undertaken under the Saudi Siamese Twins Separation Program.
Doctors revealed that the girls were joined at the lower abdomen, pelvis, and spine, sharing critical structures. Specialists in paediatric surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, urology, anaesthesia, and plastic surgery collaborated to complete the delicate procedure.
Speaking during the reception in Kano, Governor Yusuf expressed gratitude to the Saudi authorities for what he described as a humanitarian gesture and a reflection of strong bilateral relations between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia. He pledged to sponsor the girls’ medical check-up after one year and to provide them with scholarships up to the university level.
Consular General Al-Admawi said the successful operation reflected Saudi Arabia’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian services. He noted that Saudi Arabia would continue to extend medical assistance to Nigeria and other countries in need through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.
The surgery marked the 65th successful operation under the Saudi Siamese Twins Separation Program, which has cared for 150 sets of conjoined twins from 25 countries over the past 35 years.
A relative of the twins, speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, described the support as a great relief to the family and Nigerians at large. He thanked the Saudi Crown Prince and the medical team for their efforts, adding that “Nigerians will not forget this gesture.”
