Parents of 42 pupils abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State have accused the Federal Government of neglect, alleging that authorities have shown greater urgency in responding to a similar abduction in Oyo State.
Their complaints come as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s high-powered delegation visited affected communities in Oyo State, where gunmen abducted dozens of pupils and teachers on May 15.
In Borno, suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School on the same day, abducting more than 40 children, including toddlers.
The attackers reportedly used the children as human shields while fleeing on motorcycles, preventing security operatives from opening fire.
Also on May 15, gunmen invaded Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School and L.A. Primary School in Ahoro-Esiele, Oyo State, abducting pupils and teachers. One of the kidnapped teachers was later killed by his captors.
President Tinubu condemned the killing and announced measures to strengthen rescue efforts in Oyo, including the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards and the deployment of a specialised security unit with advanced rescue capabilities.
Speaking on Monday, the councillor representing Mussa Ward, Peter Haruna Waba, said residents felt abandoned and questioned why the Federal Government had not demonstrated similar commitment toward securing the release of the Borno pupils.
“Why should we be treated differently? We are Nigerians, and we voted for the president. The Federal Government should treat the abduction of our children with the same seriousness. Governor Zulum cannot do it alone,” he said.
One of the affected parents, Saleh Bala, said families in Mussa had been left in anguish for more than two weeks without any clear information about the whereabouts of their children.
“We feel abandoned. It is as if our children do not matter. Many of them are between two and five years old, and we have not seen any significant federal intervention aimed at bringing them home,” he said.
The Chairman of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State, Abubakar Suleiman, also alleged that there had been little federal intervention since the abduction.
He further noted that hundreds of women and children abducted from Ngoshe in recent months were yet to be rescued.
Similarly, the President of the Borno South Youths Alliance Forum, Samaila Kaigama, urged political leaders in the state to intensify efforts to secure federal intervention.
“Over 40 students were kidnapped, yet the only visible response was the presentation of N10 million to traditional rulers in Askira Uba. The affected families want concrete action and the safe return of their children,” he said.
Kaigama said every Nigerian life should receive equal attention regardless of region, warning that perceptions of unequal treatment could deepen feelings of marginalisation.
Meanwhile, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on President Bola Tinubu to approve the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards for Borno State and dispatch a high-powered Federal Government delegation to the state in response to the growing security challenges in the North East.
Falana, in a statement on Monday, cited the Federal Government’s recent response to the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State.
“In view of the fact that not less than 415 abducted school children and other citizens are in the illegal custody of bandits and terrorists in unknown forests in Borno State, President Tinubu should also dispatch a high-powered federal delegation to visit the state in solidarity with the people.
“The President should equally approve the recruitment of 1000 forest guards for the State without any further delay,” he said.
Falana said the forest guards must be well-trained and fully equipped to confront the bandits and terrorists.
