The families of schoolchildren and other victims abducted in Borno State have appealed to the Federal and state governments to intensify efforts to secure their release, as some of the victims have now spent 100 days in captivity.
The families, speaking through the Hawul/Askira-Uba Elders Forum, described the prolonged captivity as a period of fear, uncertainty and emotional distress.
Here are the key demands from the affected families:
Immediate rescue of the abducted victims
The families want President Bola Tinubu and Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum to deploy all available security resources to rescue their loved ones.
They said the victims have waited long enough and should not be allowed to remain in captivity indefinitely.
Urgent action for the schoolchildren
Forty-two pupils and students of Mussa Primary and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba were abducted on May 15, 2026.
Another 36 students of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, were abducted on June 29 while sitting for their NECO examinations.
The families are demanding that the government make the safe return of the children an urgent priority.
Rescue of other abducted victims
The demand extends beyond the schoolchildren.The families also called for the rescue of 38 people abducted along the Buratai Road to Maiduguri, as well as victims taken along the Chibok route and other parts of the state.
They stressed that every victim deserves the same level of attention and commitment.
Regular updates for affected families
The families want the government to communicate regularly and transparently with them about efforts being made to secure the release of their loved ones.
For families living with uncertainty, they said knowing what is being done is important while they wait for their relatives to return.
Stronger protection for schools and communities
The families also called for stronger security around schools, major roads and vulnerable communities across Borno.
They want a coordinated and intelligence-led rescue operation capable of preventing further abductions while addressing the cases of those already in captivity.
Equal urgency in rescue operations
The families cited the recent rescue of abducted children in Oyo State, asking the Federal Government to demonstrate the same urgency in Borno.
They said they were not demanding preferential treatment, but equal protection, determination and commitment to human life.
Do not allow the abductions to become statistics
Perhaps their strongest message was that the victims must not be forgotten as their captivity continues.
The families said the abducted people are not merely numbers in security reports but children, parents, siblings and spouses whose families continue to live with pain and uncertainty.
They urged the government and the wider public to keep attention focused on the victims until they are safely reunited with their families.
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