•Boko Haram terrorists
Professor Abubakar Mohammed El-Jummah, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at the Nigerian Army University, Biu, Borno State, has died while in the custody of Boko Haram militants after spending close to a year in captivity.
Recall that Professor El-Jummah was abducted on March 3, 2025, along the troubled Damaturu–Buni Yadi–Biu road, reports Vanguard.
The university don remained in captivity until he reportedly fell ill and died while in the custody of the terrorists.
Sources revealed that news of the professor’s death was communicated to his traumatised family on Wednesday in Maiduguri.
It was gathered that a funeral prayer in absentia (Salatul Ga’ib) was held yesterday, Thursday, February 12, 2026, at about 2:00 p.m. at the Ngomari Old Airport Juma’at Mosque, near his residence in Maiduguri metropolis.
A family member, who declined to be named, told our correspondent that “the late professor had been in Boko Haram captivity from March 2, 2025 until his death. May Allah forgive him and grant him mercy.”
The family source also declined to comment on whether a ransom was demanded by the terrorists.
Our correspondent observed that the Salatul Ga’ib attracted many sympathisers, academics and friends of the late professor.
