Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Families of abducted schoolchildren in Borno State have made an emotional appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to urgently intensify efforts to secure the release of their loved ones, as the captivity of dozens of children approaches the grim 100-day mark. The appeal came amid renewed concern over the fate of 78 schoolchildren abducted in two separate attacks on schools in Askira-Uba Local Government Area, with families describing the prolonged separation as unbearable and demanding that the government treat the rescue as an urgent national priority.
Forty-two pupils and students of Mussa Primary and Junior Day Secondary School were abducted on May 15, 2026, when suspected Boko Haram terrorists stormed the school in Mussa, a community on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, a long-time stronghold of Islamist militants. The attackers reportedly abducted 37 primary school pupils, six secondary school students and five other residents. On June 29, 2026, suspected insurgents attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, also in Askira-Uba, while students were sitting for their National Examinations Council examinations, abducting 36 students and one teacher. The abduction in Mussa occurred on the same day that gunmen abducted students and teachers from a school in Oyo State, but while the Oyo victims were rescued on July 10 after nearly two months in captivity, the Borno children have remained missing.
At a press conference on Friday, August 21, 2026, at the National Assembly under the theme "Bring Our Children Home — 100 Days of Horror, Pain and Suffering Is Enough," families and concerned citizens demanded immediate action. The Secretary of the Hawul/Askira-Uba Elders Forum, Mr Malla Gadzama, described the situation as one of "prolonged pain, fear and uncertainty". "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. 100 days of families asking one simple question: Where are our loved ones, and when are they coming home?" the families said. They appealed directly to President Tinubu, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, to deploy every available national security resource towards rescuing the abducted children and other civilians still in captivity. "Mr President, these families have waited for 100 days. We recognise the enormous security challenges confronting our nation, and we appreciate the sacrifices being made by our security personnel. But the continued captivity of innocent children and civilians cannot be allowed to become another unresolved case," they said.
The families equally appealed to Governor Zulum to use the full weight of his office to press for the immediate rescue of the abducted children. "Governor Zulum, these are the children of Borno. They are the sons and daughters of our communities. Their parents are waiting. Their families are suffering. Their communities are hurting," they said. They urged the governor to work closely with the Federal Government, security and intelligence agencies and other relevant authorities to explore every possible avenue for securing the victims' safe return. The families also called for the immediate rescue of 38 persons reportedly abducted along the Buratai Road to Maiduguri, as well as victims taken along the Chibok route and other vulnerable roads across Borno State.
The protest was not confined to the press conference. On Thursday, August 20, 2026, parents of the abducted Mussa school children staged a public protest on the streets of Uba, Askira-Uba Local Government Area, carrying placards with inscriptions including "#BringBackOurChildren", "We want our children back", and "Our children are neglected by the FG". Speaking to journalists during the demonstration, grieving parents expressed a deep sense of abandonment, accusing both state and federal leaders of turning a blind eye to their plight. "We are tired of waiting. We feel abandoned. It is as if our children do not matter to the President anymore," said Buba Mussa, one of the protesting parents. He revealed that some of the parents had been hospitalised due to high blood pressure and other complications, and that some children, including his four-year-old son, had celebrated their birthdays in captivity.
A parent who spoke with News Central TV appealed directly to President Tinubu, asking why the children abducted in Oyo State on the same day had been rescued while those in Borno remained missing. "President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, what I have to tell him now, let him rule Nigeria with equal destiny, equal value. Because these are our children, they were abducted on the same day with the children of Oyo State. Well, those of Oyo State have been rescued for over a month. While, our children are still in captivity for almost 100 days," the parent said. The parent said the uncertainty surrounding the children's condition had taken a heavy toll on their families, with some parents reportedly hospitalised. "We don't know whether our children are still alive or they are dead. Because we haven't seen any information, knowing whether they are eating, feeding," he said. "If I tell you the situation where we are now, sometimes if rain is coming like that, some of us will start to cry, due to we don't know the condition of our children". Peace Nicolos, whose two children, aged three-and-a-half and eight-and-a-half, are among the missing, said families lived in constant anxiety. "We worry every day and struggle to eat," she said. "We are pleading with the government to rescue them".
The families cited the successful rescue of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State on May 15 as evidence that coordinated security operations could yield results. The Oyo victims were rescued on July 10 following a coordinated, intelligence-led operation involving multiple security agencies. "If it could be done in Oyo, it can be done in Borno," the group declared, demanding that the same urgency, determination, resources and coordination be deployed to secure the release of the Borno victims. "We are not asking for preferential treatment. We are asking for equal protection, urgency, determination and commitment to human life," the families said. They warned against the normalisation of prolonged abductions, saying such situations must not be allowed to fade into routine national statistics. "These are not statistics. They are children, parents, siblings, spouses and loved ones. They are human beings whose families are praying and crying every day," they added.
UNICEF earlier this week urged the Federal and Borno State governments to intensify efforts to secure the children's release, describing schools as places where children should be able to learn and grow safely. Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, urged the military to intensify efforts to rescue the schoolchildren, noting that some of the victims had spent more than 100 days in captivity, creating deep anxiety among relatives and communities. The lawmaker representing Hawul/Askira-Uba Federal Constituency, Midala Balami, sympathised with the families and urged the government to do its best to bring the schoolchildren home safely. "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 are suffering," he said.
The families outlined seven key demands, including the immediate rescue of the 42 Mussa pupils and students, the 36 Lassa students still missing, the 38 persons reportedly abducted along Buratai Road, and other victims abducted along the Chibok route and other dangerous roads in Borno. They also demanded regular and credible communication with affected families on efforts being made to secure the release of their loved ones, stronger protection for schools, major roads and vulnerable communities, and a coordinated, intelligence-led national rescue operation that is properly funded and effectively executed. The Borno State Government had ordered the closure of Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School following the abduction and relocated students to safer facilities. Governor Zulum had earlier assured residents of the safe return of the abducted schoolchildren, but nearly 100 days later, the children remain in captivity.
As the days tick past the 100-day mark, the families in Uba and across Borno are left clinging to hope, pleading with the administration to bring the same urgency and commitment shown elsewhere to the fringes of the Sambisa Forest before it is too late. "There is nothing more painful than separating very young children from their parents," said Orbet Lawan Yakubu, representing the traditional ruler of Mussa. "The entire community is affected because almost every family is connected to those who were taken". For the families of the abducted children, the question remains: when will their children come home?
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