By Ahmed Kaigama

Borno governor, Babagana Zulum, on Friday met with parents of 44 schoolchildren abducted from Mussa community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of the state.

The meeting followed a request by the parents, who appealed for urgent government intervention to secure the children’s safe release who were abducted May 15, 2026.
 
Speaking during the visit, Zulum assured the parents that the Federal Government and Borno Government have intensified efforts to secure the safe release of the schoolchildren.
 
Zulum expressed sympathy to the affected families and assured them of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to rescuing the abducted pupils.
 
 He said Tinubu had directed security agencies to intensify efforts toward ensuring the children’s safe return to their families.
  
According to him, the Nigerian Armed Forces and Borno Government were working together to achieve the objective.
  
“On behalf of the government and people of Borno, I once again extend my sympathies over what happened at Mussa Central Primary School,” Zulum said.
  
He said the incident occurred on May 15, resulting in the abduction of about 44 primary school pupils.
 
The governor assured the parents that the government would continue doing everything possible to secure the children’s safe return.
 
The meeting was attended by Sen. Ali Ndume, representing Southern Borno Senatorial District, and other senior government officials.
 
Those present included commissioners responsible for education and inter-governmental affairs, among other government officials.

The Hawul Askira-Uba Elders’ Forum had at a recent press conference in Abuja called on Borno state government and Federal and State Governments to intensify efforts to rescue the schoolchildren and others abducted by suspected terrorists in the area in the past few months.

Mr Malla Gadzama, the Secretary of the Forum who addressed journalists noted that the schoolchildren were abducted on May 15 in Askira-Uba Local Government Area.

He also recalled 36 of the students abducted from Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, on June 29 during National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations were still missing.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene and ensure that every available national security resource was mobilised toward the rescue of the abducted children and citizens.

Gadzama also urged Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno to continue using the full weight of his office to press for the immediate rescue of these children and all other abducted citizens of the state.

“We stand before you today with broken hearts, but also with determination and an urgent demand: bring our children home.

“For 101 days, families have lived through unimaginable pain, anxiety, fear and suffering, following the abduction of their children and loved ones. “This is not about numbers, this is about human lives. This is about our children, our brothers and sisters, our wives and husbands; this is about fathers and mothers.

“This is about families who have suffered for 101 days and counting.

Government exists to protect its people. The constitution recognises the security and welfare of the people as a primary purpose of government.

“Therefore, we respectfully appeal but unequivocally demand immediate rescue and safe return of the pupils and students abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Day Secondary School.

“We appeal and demand the immediate rescue and safe return of the 36 students still missing from Government Day Secondary School, Lassa.

“We demand the immediate rescue of the 38 persons reportedly abducted on Buratai Road to Maiduguri, and urgent action to rescue all other persons abducted along the Chibok route and other dangerous routes across Borno,” he said.

The secretary assured the families of the victims that they would not be forgotten, as their children, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives are part of the community.

He pledged that the forum would continue to speak, ask, demand action on the safe return of every single person taken from their families.

“To our children who may hear these words, wherever you are, your families are waiting for you, your communities are waiting for you, Nigeria is waiting for you and we believe you must come home,” he said.

(NAN)