A member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, has called on the Federal Government and security agencies to make the rescue of schoolchildren abducted in Borno State an urgent priority.
The lawmaker, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency, made the appeal in a statement on Tuesday as the children approach 130 days in captivity.
The children were kidnapped in separate attacks on Mussa and Lassa communities in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
Reports said about 44 children from Mussa Ward and 36 students from Lassa were taken during attacks that began on May 15 and June 29 respectively. However, some reports have given different figures for the number of children still in captivity.
The latest appeal followed a protest by parents and community members from the two communities in Askira/Uba on Monday. The protesters said they would take their demonstration to the Presidential Villa in Abuja if the children were not rescued within six days.
The parents also questioned why schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State had been rescued while those taken in Borno were still being held.
Reacting to the situation, Bello El-Rufai described the long captivity of the children as unacceptable.
“130 days is far too long. The continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted in Mussa and Lassa, Borno State, is unacceptable.
“We cannot allow this situation to become another statistic or a forgotten tragedy,” he said.
The lawmaker praised the security forces for recent successes, including the rescue of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State. He said the development should encourage authorities to intensify efforts to free the children still being held in Borno.
“I commend our security forces for their successes elsewhere, including the rescue of the Oyo schoolchildren. But that success must reinforce the urgency of bringing these children home, not diminish it,” he said.
The Oyo and Borno abductions reportedly happened on the same day. The Oyo pupils were later rescued after spending almost two months in captivity.
Kidnapped Borno schoolchildren: 130 days far too long – El-Rufai tells Nigerian govt