The twins, accompanied by their family, touched down at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport to an emotional welcome by state officials, community members, and representatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Their life-saving operation was performed at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh under the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
A 14-Hour Surgical Feat
Hassana and Hussaina had been flown to Saudi Arabia in October 2023 after medical assessments revealed that they were joined at the lower abdomen, pelvis, and spine, sharing vital organs and skeletal structures.
A multi-disciplinary team of 38 consultants and specialists — spanning paediatric surgery, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, urology, anaesthesia, and plastic surgery — meticulously planned and executed the 14-hour operation, carried out in nine carefully sequenced stages.
Doctors described the case as particularly complex, yet the procedure ended in success, giving the sisters a new chance at independent lives.
State Support and International Partnership
Speaking at the airport, Governor Yusuf expressed profound gratitude
to the Saudi authorities for sponsoring the surgery and pledged that the Kano State Government would shoulder the girls’ welfare, including their education through to university.“The return of Hassana and Hussaina is a moment of joy for Kano, for Nigeria, and for humanity. We thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this extraordinary gesture of compassion,” he said.
The Consular General of Saudi Arabia in Kano, Khalil Ahmed Al-Admawi, hailed the success of the operation as proof of the Kingdom’s humanitarian commitment.
He noted that the separation marked the 65th successful surgery under the Saudi Siamese Twins Separation Programme — a medical humanitarian initiative that has cared for 150 sets of conjoined twins from 25 countries over the last 35 years.
A Global Humanitarian Milestone
The programme, run under the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, has become a global benchmark in paediatric surgery and medical philanthropy. Officials say it underscores Saudi Arabia’s enduring ties with Nigeria and its wider mission to extend medical assistance to vulnerable families worldwide.
For Hassana and Hussaina, the journey from being inseparable to living independently is not only a triumph of science but also a powerful symbol of international cooperation and hope.
