FG, Borno Intensify Efforts to Rescue 44 Abducted Mussa Schoolchildren

.Families Protest in Borno Over Children Abducted Nearly 100 Days Ago

.Ndume urges military to rescue victims

.Northern senators demand fast-track of state police after Adamawa, Sokoto attacks

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The federal government and Borno State Government have stepped up efforts to secure the safe release of the 44 primary school pupils abducted from Mussa community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of the state, Governor Babagana Zulum has said.

This was as the parents ‌of children abducted from Borno State have protested in Uba town, demanding that the federal government secures their release nearly 100 days after they were taken. The children were seized from their classrooms on May 15 in Mussa, a community on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, a long-time stronghold of Islamist militants.

Also, a member of the National Assembly, Senator Ali Ndume, has called on the Nigerian Army to redouble its efforts to secure the release of 78 school children and one teacher abducted by insurgents from Mussa and Lassa, two communities in Southern Borno. 

The Northern Senators Forum also called on the federal government, state governors and Houses of Assembly to urgently ratify the State Police Bill, following fresh terrorist attacks in Adamawa and Sokoto states that claimed the lives of more than 36 Nigerians.

Governor Zulum gave the assurance yesterday when he met with parents of the abducted children at the Government House, Maiduguri, amid growing concern over the fate of the pupils who were taken from Mussa Central Primary School on May 15, 2026.

The meeting was convened at the request of the parents, who have been pressing the authorities to intensify efforts to locate and rescue their children.

The governor said President Bola Tinubu had personally directed security agencies to ensure the safe recovery of the pupils, assuring the parents that the Federal Government, Nigerian Armed Forces and Borno State Government were working together towards their release.

“On behalf of the government and people of Borno State, I once again extend my sympathies over what happened at Mussa Central Primary School on the 15th of May 2026 that led to the abduction of about 44 primary school pupils,” Zulum said.

He also conveyed the President’s sympathy to the affected families.

“On behalf of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I want to sympathise with you. I want to assure you that Mr President has since directed security agencies to ensure the rescue of our children, and I believe they are working to ensure their rescue,” he said.

Zulum assured the parents that the authorities would deploy every necessary effort to bring the children home safely.

The development has renewed attention on the security of schools in Borno, where communities continue to face threats from insurgency and other forms of insecurity.

The governor’s meeting with the parents is expected to strengthen coordination between the affected families and government authorities as security agencies continue efforts to secure the children’s release.

The meeting was attended by the Senator representing Southern Borno, Mohammed Ali Ndume; Acting Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr. Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe; Commissioner for Education, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe; Commissioner for Inter-Governmental Affairs and Special Duties, Dr. Samaila Abdulaziz Satumari; and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Dr. Juliana Bitrus.

Meanwhile,Reuters reported that the protest in Uba town underscored ⁠families’ frustration as kidnappings persist despite years of military operations against Boko Haram and its Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) offshoot in North-eastern Nigeria.

While the insurgency has weakened since its peak, both groups continue to stage attacks on civilians, schools and security forces across Borno and neighbouring states.

The abduction was followed by another attack in nearby Lassa on June 29, where 36 students and a teacher also remain captive. Last month, authorities secured the release of schoolchildren abducted by gunmen from schools in South-west Oyo state after nearly two months in captivity.

A ⁠police spokesperson said the military was “on top of the situation” but declined further comment, directing enquiries to the military. A spokesperson for the military did not respond to requests for comment.

“We still have not seen them,” said Chinda Buba, whose child was among those abducted. “We do not know where ⁠our children are. We don’t know whether they are healthy or going through difficult conditions.”

Peace Nicolos, whose two children, aged three and half and eight and 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.”

Orbet Lawan Yakubu, representing the traditional ruler of Mussa, said around 45 children remained ⁠unaccountedfor.

“There is nothing more painful than separating very young children from their parents,” he said. “The entire community is affected because almost every family is connected to those who were taken.”

Similarly, in May, 2026, 42 pupils were abducted from Primary and Junior Secondary Schools in Mussa while a similar incident occurred last June when the  insurgents attacked Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, abducting 36 students and one teacher.

In a release issued by his media office, the ranking Senator made the appeal during a visit to the Theatre Command, North East ‘Operation Hadin, where he met with the Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar.

The former Senate Leader hailed the Nigerian military for its sustained efforts in combating insurgency and restoring relative peace across the region.

Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly stressed that his call should not be misconstrued as an indictment of the military but as a reflection of the responsibility of a representative of the people to continue to draw attention to their plight and demand action where necessary.

His words, “We know you are making efforts, but because of the anxiety we all share and the length of time these people have remained away from their families, I have to continue to push for greater effort.

“The people are anxious, and the families are waiting. We appreciate what the military is doing, but we will continue to appeal for greater efforts until our people are reunited with their families.”

He acknowledged significant improvement in the security situation in Borno State which he attributed to the sacrifices of officers and soldiers operating across the theatre.

Ndume also commended the coordination and synergy among the security agencies, describing it as a major factor behind the gains recorded in the fight against insurgency.

He further appealed to the military to sustain the momentum and intensify operations towards locating and safely reuniting all remaining abductees with their families. 

Responding, General Abubakar thanked the ranking Senator for the visit and assured him that the concerns raised over the abducted victims in captivity of the insurgents had been noted. 

The commander reiterated commitment of the Army and other security agencies to ongoing operations aimed at protecting communities, stabilising affected areas and ensuring the safe return of residents displaced by years of insurgency.

Abubakar attributed the feats recorded in the theatre to the support of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Waidi Shaibu, whom he noted has a deep understanding of the operational environment in the North-East.

He also assured that the military would continue to expand its presence across vulnerable areas through the establishment of new formations, deployment of additional troops and strengthening of existing sectors.

As part of proactive measures to improve military presence across Southern Borno and adjoining parts of Adamawa State, the Theatre Commander disclosed that about 1,000 Southern Borno youths, mostly from Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State would be recruited into the military.

In another development, the Northern Senators Forum said the latest killings had further exposed the urgent need to decentralise policing and strengthen intelligence gathering and security response at the grassroots.

The Forum, in a statement issued yesterday by its Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, condemned what it described as the recent wave of terrorist attacks in Gaya community, Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, and Ungushi village, Kebbe Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

It said the attacks claimed the lives of civilians, worshippers and security personnel, describing the development as unacceptable at a time the country was seeking lasting solutions to insecurity.

According to the Forum, suspected Boko Haram insurgents invaded Gaya community on the night of Monday, August 17, setting two houses ablaze and killing eight people.

The victims, it said, included a police inspector and seven civilians.

The senators also condemned the attack on worshippers at Ungushi Village in Kebbe LGA, Sokoto State, during Friday prayers on August 15.

It said about 30 people were killed in the attack by suspected Lakurawa terrorists, a group reportedly linked to extremist networks operating across Mali and Niger.

The Forum added that the attack occurred after four soldiers were killed in the area earlier in the day.

Reacting to the twin tragedies, the senators expressed condolences to the families of the victims as well as the governments and people of Adamawa and Sokoto states.

However, they said condolences alone would not be enough to address the worsening security situation, insisting that urgent institutional reforms were required to prevent further loss of lives.

The Forum specifically urged the federal government, through the Presidential Working Group chaired by the Chief of Staff to the President, alongside state governors and Houses of Assembly, to give immediate attention to the State Police Bill currently awaiting ratification.

It argued that decentralised policing would improve response time, intelligence gathering and coordination between security agencies and communities.

The senators also called on state and local governments to invest more in community vigilante groups and strengthen their capacity to serve as intelligence partners to the police and military.

The Forum said security agencies could not effectively combat insurgency and terrorism without deeper collaboration with communities where attacks occurred.

“Decentralised policing is critical to improving response time and intelligence gathering at the grassroots,” the senators said.

They warned against allowing bureaucratic procedures to delay security reforms capable of saving lives, stressing that the country could no longer afford to lose innocent citizens to insurgents while critical measures remained pending.

“We cannot continue to lose innocent lives to insurgents while bureaucracy delays critical security reforms. The time to act is now,” the Forum declared.

The renewed demand for state police comes amid continuing debate over the restructuring of Nigeria’s policing architecture, with proponents arguing that a centralised police system is increasingly inadequate for responding rapidly to security threats spread across the country’s vast territory.

The Northern senators maintained that empowering states and communities with stronger policing structures would complement the efforts of the federal security agencies and improve the flow of actionable intelligence.

They prayed for the repose of the souls of those killed in the attacks and wished those injured speedy recovery.