We Are Not Sure If Our Children Are Still Alive – Parents Of Abducted School Pupils

Forty-seven days after terrorists abducted 42 pupils of Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, parents of the victims say they are still living in agony over the whereabouts of their children.

Naija News reports that the pupils, some of them toddlers as young as two years old, were kidnapped from their classrooms on May 15, 2026, during an attack on the Mussa community.

No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction, while the families said they had not received any ransom demand or direct contact from the abductors since the incident.

Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, some of the affected parents expressed frustration over what they described as the slow response of government authorities.

One of the parents, Saleh Buba, whose two children were among those abducted, said the families had been living in fear and uncertainty since the attack.

“We think about our children every day because some of them are toddlers. One of my children is just two years old. My wife and the other mothers have barely slept since they were taken,” he said.

Buba said government officials visited the community shortly after the incident and appealed for patience, but added that the families had not received any concrete update since then.

“Dozens of families are suffering. What we want from the government is an explanation and regular updates on what is being done,” he added.

Another parent, Josphin Yohanna, whose three-year-old child was abducted, said the silence surrounding the rescue efforts had become unbearable.

“For 47 days, we have heard nothing. We don’t know whether our children are sick, healthy, dead or alive. The officials told us to be patient because efforts were ongoing, but how long should we continue waiting without any information?” she asked.

Some parents said they feared the abductors might still be hiding in nearby bushes and mountainous areas around the community.

One of the parents said the delay in rescuing the pupils had worsened the anxiety of the affected families.

“Our children are getting farther away from us each day the rescue is delayed. We appreciate the government’s efforts, but we want security agencies to act quickly and bring them home,” the parent said.

Another parent lamented that the prolonged silence had left families feeling abandoned.

“We feel forgotten. It is as if our children do not matter. Most of them are between two and five years old, yet we have not seen any significant federal intervention aimed at bringing them home,” he said.

Mussa community is located near the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, a long-time stronghold of Boko Haram insurgents.

The insurgents have carried out repeated attacks across Borno and other parts of the North-East for more than a decade, killing residents, abducting civilians and destroying public and private property.

Despite ongoing military operations in the sub-region, terrorists have continued to attack civilian and military targets.

Humanitarian organisations have estimated that tens of thousands of people, including security personnel, have lost their lives to the insurgency, while many insurgents have also been killed by security forces.

The councillor representing Mussa Ward, Peter Haruna Waba, described the situation as painful and troubling.

“It is heartbreaking. Forty-two children, including toddlers, have remained missing for 47 days without any trace.

“I know Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s administration is making efforts, but security operations are sensitive and cannot be discussed publicly,” he said.

Waba, however, said no federal government delegation had visited the community to sympathise with the affected families or brief them on efforts to secure the pupils’ release.

He urged the parents to ignore rumours and remain calm while awaiting the outcome of ongoing security operations.

The Chairman of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State, Abubakar Suleiman, also alleged that federal intervention had been minimal since the abduction.

Similarly, the President of the Borno South Youths Alliance Forum, Samaila Kaigama, called on political leaders to intensify efforts to secure stronger federal involvement.

“More than 40 schoolchildren 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 added that every Nigerian life deserved equal attention regardless of region, warning that perceptions of unequal treatment could deepen feelings of marginalisation.

The abduction in Borno occurred on the same day gunmen attacked schools in Oyo State, abducting pupils and teachers. One of the kidnapped teachers was later killed by his captors.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has called for the immediate and unconditional release of all pupils and teachers abducted in Borno and Oyo states.