Bello El-Rufai Raises Alarm As Abducted Borno Schoolchildren Near 130 Days In Captivity

A member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, has urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the release of schoolchildren abducted from communities in Borno State, as their captivity approaches 130 days.

According to Bush Radio Academy, El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency, made the appeal in a statement amid growing concerns over the prolonged detention of the children and renewed demands from their families for urgent government intervention.

The children were reportedly abducted in separate attacks involving Mussa and Lassa communities in the Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. Reports have cited about 44 children from Mussa Ward and 36 students from Lassa as being among those abducted, although accounts differ on the exact number of victims who remain in captivity.

The latest appeal came shortly after parents and residents of the affected communities staged a protest in Askira/Uba over the continued captivity of the children. The protesters reportedly gave the Federal Government a six-day ultimatum to secure their release, threatening to take their demonstration to the Presidential Villa in Abuja if there was no progress.

The parents also questioned the difference in the pace of response to the Borno abductions and the recent rescue of schoolchildren kidnapped in Oyo State. Their concerns have added to mounting pressure on the authorities to intensify efforts to locate and safely return those still being held.

Reacting to the situation, El-Rufai described the continued captivity of the children as unacceptable and called for their rescue to be treated 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,” the lawmaker said.

He warned against allowing the incident to fade from public attention or become another unresolved case involving victims of insecurity.

El-Rufai also commended security agencies for recent operations, including the rescue of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State. However, he urged the authorities to build on those successes by applying greater urgency to the efforts to secure the freedom of the Borno victims.

“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 prolonged captivity has continued to generate concern among the affected families and communities, who are calling for intensified security operations and immediate action to ensure the safe return of the children.