Ese Rita Oruru, the Bayelsa girl whose 2015 abduction and forced marriage in Kano State once outraged Nigerians, has graduated from the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) with a Second Class Upper degree in Education Technology. Her remarkable achievement, celebrated widely on social media, marks a full-circle moment in a life that has captured national attention for nearly a decade.
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Eseâs ordeal began on August 12, 2015, when she was taken from her motherâs shop in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, by Yunusa Dahiru, popularly known as âYellow.â She was transported over 1,000 kilometers to Kano State, where she was reportedly converted to Islam and married off under circumstances that provoked nationwide condemnation. The case drew massive public attention, triggering coordinated interventions by the Nigeria Police Force, child rights activists, and womenâs advocacy groups.
She was eventually rescued in February 2016 and reunited with her family, already pregnant with a child conceived during her captivity.
In recognition of her academic success, former Minister of Education and child rights advocate, Oby Ezekwesili, shared a celebratory message on social media:
âI am super-joyful to honor and celebrate the academic achievement of Ese Oruru! Ese graduated Second Class Upper Division in Education Technology today at the University of Ilorin and now stands as a testament to what a determined mind can accomplish. Above all, I thank God for Ese. The future holds so much greater promise for this young woman whose life has evolved into an extraordinary inspiration and role model for us all.â
In 2020, her abductor, Yunusa Dahiru, was convicted and sentenced to 26 years in prison by the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, after being found guilty of child abduction, unlawful carnal knowledge, and sexual exploitation of a minor. His sentence was later reduced to seven years by an Appeal Court, and he was released from the Kano Correctional Service after completing his term, as confirmed by Public Relations Officer Musbahu Lawan Kofar Nassarawa.
Kofar Nassarawa praised Dahiruâs conduct during incarceration, stating, âHe never offended anybody or breached any rule in the correctional facility. He had lived a good and exemplary life worthy of emulation while serving his jail term and was respected by many.â Following his release, Dahiru enrolled in the correctional facilityâs secondary school program, signaling a path toward rehabilitation.
The news of Ese Oruruâs graduation has sparked widespread excitement among Nigerians online.
âCongratulations to her. This is the girl one pedophile by the name Tanko kidnapped in Bayelsa and forced into marriage. Thankfully, there was massive outcry and she was rescued,â wrote X user Eyenese.
Luqman added: âThe symbol of survival and courage. Congratulations to Ese Oruru.â
Sapphire wrote: âI remember her story. Thank God for all those who spoke out and rescued her from those evil men. Congratulations, Ese.â
Oyemakun reflected: âWow, how time flies! The innocent girl that one hopeless Aboki almost changed her destiny. By now, she would have had about four almajiri children, begging for money.â
Ese Oruruâs graduation not only celebrates her academic achievement but also stands as a powerful testament to resilience, determination, and the transformative power of education for survivors of child abduction and abuse.
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