Nigeria, July 11 -- 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 repea...