Nigerian Conjoined Twins Return Home After Successful Separation Surgery in Saudi Arabia

Joy and relief filled the air at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport as conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina, returned to Nigeria after a groundbreaking surgery in Saudi Arabia that gave them a chance at independent lives.

The delicate separation was performed at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, under the directives of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The twins had been flown to Riyadh in October 2023 for extensive medical evaluations. Doctors found that they were fused at the lower abdomen, pelvis, and spine—an especially complicated case because of the organs and structures they shared.

Months of preparation culminated in a 14-hour surgery carried out in nine carefully coordinated stages. A 38-member team of consultants and specialists, including experts in paediatrics, neurosurgery, orthopaedics, anaesthesia, and plastic surgery, worked together to separate the sisters and rebuild their individual systems.

The outcome was celebrated as one of the most demanding but remarkable successes of the Saudi Siamese Twins Separation Program, which has achieved global recognition for its humanitarian impact.

Speaking at the airport reception, the Consular General of Saudi Arabia in Kano, Khalil Ahmed Al-Admawi, praised the achievement as proof of the Kingdom’s commitment to extending compassion beyond its borders.

He said the Kingdom would continue offering medical support through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, especially to Nigeria, with which it shares long-standing ties.

Hassana and Husaina’s surgery now joins the record of 65 successful separations carried out under the Saudi program, which over the last 35 years has assisted 150 sets of conjoined twins from 25 countries.

The initiative, hailed as one of the most significant medical humanitarian projects in the world, has not only showcased Saudi Arabia’s surgical expertise but also its dedication to easing the struggles of vulnerable families.