‘130 Days Is Far Too Long’ – Bello El-Rufai Speaks On Kidnapped Borno Schoolchildren

A member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, has urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue schoolchildren abducted from communities in Borno State.

Naija News reports that El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency, made the call in a statement on Tuesday as the children approached 130 days in captivity.

The children were abducted during separate attacks on Mussa and Lassa communities in the Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

Reports indicate that about 44 children from Mussa Ward and 36 students from Lassa were kidnapped during attacks on May 15 and June 29 respectively, although accounts differ on the number of children who remain in captivity.

The lawmaker’s appeal came a day after parents and other residents of the affected communities staged a protest in Askira/Uba over the prolonged captivity of the children.

The protesters reportedly threatened to take their demonstration to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, if the children were not rescued within six days.

The parents also questioned the disparity in the rescue of the Borno children and schoolchildren recently abducted in Oyo State, who were subsequently freed.

Reacting to the development, El-Rufai described the continued detention of the children as unacceptable and urged the authorities to treat their rescue as an urgent national security priority.

“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 commended the security agencies for their recent operations, including the rescue of schoolchildren abducted in Oyo State.

He, however, said the success should serve as further motivation for security agencies to intensify operations aimed at securing the release of those still held by their abductors.

“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.