By Mercy Aikoye
Families of abducted schoolchildren and other victims in Borno State have renewed calls on the Federal Government and the state government to intensify efforts to secure the immediate and safe release of their loved ones, as the victims mark 100 days in captivity.
The appeal was made in Abuja on Friday at a press conference by families 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. The families said the prolonged captivity had subjected them to unbearable fear, anxiety and uncertainty.
They also called for urgent rescue operations for 36 students of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, who were abducted on June 29 while sitting for their National Examinations Council examinations. In addition, the families demanded action to rescue 38 persons reportedly abducted along the Buratai Road to Maiduguri, as well as victims taken along the Chibok route and other vulnerable roads and communities.
Secretary of the Hawul/Askira-Uba Elders Forum, Malla Gadzama, who spoke on behalf of the families, described the past 100 days as a period of prolonged pain and sleepless nights. He appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to deploy all available security and intelligence resources towards securing the victims’ release.
“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.
The families also urged Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to use the full weight of his office to facilitate the victims’ release and strengthen collaboration with the Federal Government, security agencies and intelligence services. They said every possible avenue should be explored to ensure the safe return of the abducted children and other civilians.
The families cited the recent rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State as evidence that coordinated and intelligence-led operations could produce results. While commending the government and security agencies for the Oyo operation, they questioned why Borno victims should continue to remain in captivity, insisting that they were not seeking preferential treatment but equal protection and urgency.
The lawmaker representing Hawul/Askira-Uba Federal Constituency, Midala Balami, also appealed to the government to intensify efforts to rescue the victims. Balami said the abductions had inflicted severe emotional and psychological distress on affected families and residents, noting that the situation had become devastating for the constituency.
Beyond the immediate rescue of the victims, the families demanded regular and credible communication from government and security authorities on efforts being made to secure their release. They also called for stronger security around schools, major highways and vulnerable communities, as well as a properly funded and sustained intelligence-led operation involving all relevant security and intelligence agencies.
The families warned against allowing prolonged abductions to become normal in the country, stressing that the victims must not be reduced to statistics or forgotten with the passage of time. They urged Nigerians and the authorities to continue drawing attention to their plight, saying every day in captivity represented another day of anguish for their families.
They therefore appealed to President Tinubu and Governor Zulum to make the rescue of the abducted schoolchildren and other victims an urgent priority, insisting that 100 days in captivity was already too long. “Enough is enough. Bring our children home. Rescue our loved ones. 100 days is too long,” the families said.
