Separated Nigerian Conjoined Twins Return Home After Landmark Surgery in Saudi Arabia

Two Nigerian conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina, who underwent a complex separation surgery in Saudi Arabia, have returned to the country to a rousing welcome at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

The girls, who travelled to Riyadh in October 2023, were discovered to be joined at the lower abdomen, pelvis, and spine — sharing vital structures that made their case one of the most challenging handled under the Saudi Siamese Twins Separation Program.

Their life-saving surgery was carried out at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City, under the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Speaking at the airport, the Saudi Consul General in Kano, Khalil Ahmed Al-Admawi, described the success as a milestone in humanitarian medicine.

“The separation of Hassana and Husaina marks 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,” he said.

Al-Admawi added that Saudi Arabia would continue to extend medical support through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, highlighting its long-standing ties with Nigeria.

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, who received the family, pledged that the state government would sponsor the twins’ education up to university level. He also promised to provide food support for the family.

“This is a life-changing humanitarian gesture, and we are deeply grateful to the Saudi authorities for their compassion and generosity,” the governor said.

The twins’ father, Alhaji Hassan Isa, was visibly emotional as he thanked both the Saudi government and Kano State for their support throughout the medical journey.

Medical officials described the procedure as one of the most intricate yet rewarding operations undertaken in the Saudi program’s history.