•Tinubu and terrorists
Families of 116 persons abducted in different parts of Borno State have appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to intensify efforts to secure the immediate and safe release of their loved ones.
The families, who expressed anguish over the prolonged captivity of schoolchildren, parents and other residents, appealed at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday.
They specifically demanded the rescue of 42 pupils and students of Mussa Primary and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area, who were abducted on May 15, 2026, reports Saturday Guardian.
They also called for the immediate release of 36 students of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, who were abducted on June 29 while sitting for their National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.
The families further demanded urgent action to rescue 38 persons reportedly abducted along the Buratai Road to Maiduguri, as well as other victims abducted along the Chibok route and other vulnerable roads and communities in Borno.
They said the victims had spent months in captivity, leaving their families to endure what they described as prolonged pain, fear and uncertainty.
The Secretary of the Hawul/Askira-Uba Elders Forum, Malla Gadzama, who spoke on behalf of the families, said the affected households had endured sleepless nights while anxiously waiting for the return of their loved ones.
“Too much time has passed without our children. We have endured sleepless nights, fear and uncertainty, and we are still asking one question: where are our loved ones, and when are they coming home?” Gadzama said.
He appealed to Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to mobilise all available national security resources towards rescuing the abducted schoolchildren and other victims.
“Mr President, these families have waited long enough. Governor Zulum, these are the children of Borno. Their parents are waiting, their families are suffering, their communities are hurting,” he said.
The families urged Zulum to deploy the full weight of his office towards securing the victims’ release and work closely with the Federal Government, security agencies and intelligence services to explore every possible avenue for their safe return.
They cited the successful rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State as evidence that coordinated and intelligence-led operations could also secure the release of victims held in Borno.
While commending the federal government and security agencies for the Oyo rescue operation, they questioned why abducted children and other victims in Borno should continue to remain in captivity.
“We have seen what is possible when government and security agencies act with urgency. But why should Borno’s children wait this long?” they asked.
The families stressed that their demand was not for preferential treatment but for equal protection, urgency and commitment to human life.
“We are not asking for preferential treatment. We are asking for equal protection, urgency, determination and commitment to human life,” they said.
They demanded the immediate rescue and safe return of the 42 pupils and students abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Day Secondary School, the 36 students of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, and the 38 persons reportedly abducted along the Buratai Road to Maiduguri.
They also called for urgent action to rescue victims abducted along the Chibok route and other major and vulnerable routes across the state.
Beyond rescue operations, the families demanded regular, transparent and credible communication from the government and security authorities on efforts being made to secure the release of the victims.
The families warned against allowing prolonged abductions to become normal in Nigeria, insisting that the continued captivity of innocent citizens must not be reduced to another statistic in the country’s security crisis.
“The continued captivity of these children cannot become normal. We cannot allow them to become statistics or fade from public attention as time passes.
“100 days is too long. 100 days without our children. 100 days of sleepless nights. 100 days of tears and fear. 100 days of uncertainty,” they said.
Also speaking, the lawmaker representing Hawul/Askira-Uba Federal Constituency, Midala Balami, sympathised with the affected families and urged the government to do everything within its power to secure the safe return of the victims.
Balami said the abductions had caused deep emotional and psychological distress among families and residents of the constituency.
“Among those people that you are seeing here, you can see a father whose wife and five-month daughter were abducted. As a representative of Askira-Uba, we have seen sleepless nights.
“It is so devastating that most times, I lose appetite and I hardly find even my peace. This is the level of devastation we find ourselves,” he said.
He urged the government and security agencies to intensify their efforts until the victims were safely reunited with their families.
