By Gift ChapiOdekina, Abuja
Families and concerned citizens of Borno State have called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to urgently mobilise all available security and intelligence resources to rescue children and other residents who have remained in captivity for 100 days.
The call was made at a press conference on Friday at the National Assembly under the theme, “Bring Our Children Home — 100 Days of Horror, Pain and Suffering Is Enough.”
The group expressed deep concern over the continued captivity of 42 pupils and students of Mussa Primary and Junior Day Secondary School, Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, who were abducted on May 15, 2026.
It also demanded the rescue of 36 students of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, who were reportedly abducted on June 29 while writing their National Examinations Council, NECO, examinations.
According to the group, the students were abducted while pursuing their education and should have been focused on completing their examinations, returning home safely and building their futures.
“We stand before you today with broken hearts, but also with determination and an urgent demand: Bring our children home,” the group said.
The group further 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.
It stressed that the victims should not be reduced to statistics, noting that behind every abducted person was a family enduring fear, anxiety 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,” the group said.
It appealed directly to President Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to make the rescue of the abducted children and other victims an urgent national priority.
“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,” it said.
The group similarly urged Governor Zulum to use the full weight of his office to press for the immediate rescue of the victims and work closely with the Federal Government, security agencies and intelligence services.
It argued that the government had a constitutional responsibility to protect the lives and property of citizens, insisting that citizens should not have to beg for protection.
The group also cited the successful rescue of abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State as evidence that coordinated security operations could yield results.
It noted that the Oyo victims, who were abducted on May 15, 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.
It said it was not demanding preferential treatment, but “equal protection under the law,” as well as the same commitment to human life demonstrated in other rescue operations.
The group 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.
It also demanded regular and credible communication with affected families, increased protection for schools, major roads and vulnerable communities, as well as a sustained intelligence-led rescue operation involving all relevant security and intelligence agencies.
The group warned against allowing prolonged abductions to become normalised as part of Nigeria’s security crisis.
“We cannot allow the passage of time to reduce the urgency. We cannot allow our children to disappear from public attention simply because the days have turned into months,” it said.
“Their lives matter. Their education matters. Their families matter. Their future matters.”
The group also appealed to the families of the abducted persons to remain hopeful, assuring them that their loved ones had not been forgotten.
It concluded with a direct message to the President and Borno State governor: “We demand quick action. We demand equal protection. We demand a determined rescue operation. We demand that our children be brought home. Enough is enough. Bring our children home. Rescue our loved ones. 100 days is too long.”
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