Parents of 46 abducted Mussa school children on Thursday staged a public protest on the streets of Uba, Askira Uba LGA of Borno State, demanding that the Federal Government take immediate action to secure the release of their loved ones.

The children were kidnapped from their classrooms on May 15, 2026, at a community situated on the fringes of the dreaded Sambisa Forest, a stronghold for insurgent activity.

Almost a hundred days have passed since the mass kidnapping, and families said the prolonged silence from authorities has become unbearable.

The parents were carrying placards with different 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.

“We have no one to stand for us in his inner cabals; that was why he abandoned us.”

He said that some of the parents have been hospitalised due to high blood pressure and other complications.

“I know of three people who are currently in the hospital, while some of our children, including my 4-year-old son, celebrated their birthday in captivity. My son is four year and there are toddlers among them,” he said.

When contacted, Mr Ishaku Suya, the chairman of the association representing the parents of the abducted children, declined to speak at length.

He said, “There is nothing I can say. God is sufficient for us, but we will never forgive these people.”

Most of the parents have, during an interview with our correspondent, described the situation as a glaring double standard in the government’s response to school abductions across the country.

They pointed to the simultaneous kidnapping of school children and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State, who were abducted on the same day as the Mussa pupils.

While the Oyo hostages have since been successfully rescued and the culprits apprehended and sentenced to jail, the Mussa children remain missing.

“I have never seen such attention, zeal, and commitment by our security forces. The President made sure that all the Oyo school children and teachers were successfully rescued unhurt,” an angry parent remarked.

“But as it is now, we don’t know the whereabouts of our children, and it does not matter to him,” he said.

Another distraught parent, Sale, echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the stark disparity in how the government handles rescue operations in different regions has deepened their trauma.

As the days tick past the 98-day mark, the families in Uba 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.

The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, urged the military to intensify efforts to rescue school children abducted by insurgents in Mussa and Lassa communities in the state.

Ndume made the appeal during a visit to the Theatre Command, North-East Operation Hadin Kai, where he met the Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar.

The senator commended the military for its sustained operations against insurgency and the improvement in security across Borno.

He, however, said the prolonged captivity of the victims had increased anxiety among their families and communities.

“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,” he said.

Ndume said his appeal should not be seen as an indictment of the military but as part of his responsibility to draw attention to the plight of his constituents.

He also commended the coordination among security agencies, saying it had contributed to the gains recorded in the fight against insurgency.

The senator urged the military to sustain the momentum and intensify operations to locate and safely reunite the remaining abductees with their families.

Responding, Abubakar assured Ndume that the concerns raised had been noted and reaffirmed the commitment of the military and other security agencies to ongoing operations to protect communities and secure the safe return of all displaced and abducted residents.

He attributed the gains in the theatre partly to the support of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, who, he said, had a good understanding of the operational environment in the North-East.

The commander also disclosed plans to strengthen military presence in vulnerable areas through new formations and additional troops.

He said about 1,000 youths from Southern Borno, mostly from Gwoza Local Government Area, would be recruited into the military as part of measures to improve security in the area and adjoining parts of Adamawa State.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has also added its voice to the growing outcry. Speaking at a media briefing, UNICEF Nigeria Deputy Representative, Dr Rownak Khan, expressed deep concern over the abductions in Borno State.

The abductions have affected roughly 78 children across the Lassa and Mussa communities, and across Nigeria as a whole.

“We are worried about the abduction of children, not only in Borno State but in Nigeria at large. School should be a safe place for them. They come here to learn and grow themselves,” he said.

Dr Khan urged authorities to expedite action to ensure the children’s safe return, emphasising the urgent need to fully implement safe-school protocols. (Daily Trust0

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