By Ahmed Liman Kingimi, Maiduguri
A civil society organisation has urged the Federal and Borno State Governments to make the rescue of 78 children abducted in two separate attacks in Askira-Uba Local Government Area a “national priority”, warning that public silence on the cases undermines the core mandate of civil society.
The call was made on Friday by Aishatu Alhaji Kabu, Executive Director of Zenith of the Girl Child and Women Initiatives Support, ZEGCAWIS, during a press briefing in Maiduguri.
TWO ATTACKS, 78 CHILDREN STILL MISSING
According to ZEGCAWIS, suspected insurgents attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School on May 15, 2026, and abducted 42 pupils aged between 2 and 17. The victims include toddlers as young as 2 years and a 7-month-old baby.
On June 29, 2026, gunmen also attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa during NECO examinations. Two teachers were killed and at least 36 students were abducted.
More than two months later, Kabu said the children remain in captivity with no contact from their abductors.
“Families continue to lack reliable information about the whereabouts, condition, and prospects for the safe release of their children,” she said.
WHY HAVE WE FORGOTTEN THE CHILDREN OF MUSSA AND LASSA?
Kabu criticized the limited national attention and media coverage compared to similar abductions in other parts of the country.
“It is worrisome that the abduction of children in our own communities has not received the same national attention, media coverage, or civil society mobilisation as similar cases in Uyo and elsewhere,” she said.
“We in civil society in the Northeast, and across Nigeria, must ask ourselves a hard question: Have we become so focused on resource mobilisation in the name of ‘aid to affected populations’ that we have forgotten the very foundation on which civil society was built?”
“The foundation of civil society is advocacy. It is speaking truth to power. It is standing with the vulnerable when it is inconvenient. It is the protection of those who are most at risk. When children are taken from their classrooms and their homes, and we remain silent, we risk betraying that very foundation.”
She asked, “Why have we forgotten the children of Mussa and Lassa communities of Askira/Uba? Why is there not enough sustained coverage on the abduction of these children? What happened to the principle that the media is, by extension, the conscience of society?”
Kabu commended _News Central Africa “for remaining consistent in advocating for the release of these children and giving their families the platform to be heard.”
She also challenged the Nigerian Bar Association, Maiduguri Branch: “Where are the principles of justice and the protection of lives and property? What is our role when matters like this arise? We leave this to your conscience to decide.”
FIVE-POINT DEMAND
ZEGCAWIS and partners demanded that:
The Federal and Borno State Governments make the safe and immediate rescue of all abducted children of Mussa and Lassa a national priority
Security agencies intensify search and rescue operations, providing regular updates to families.
CSOs and the media “break the silence” and return to the core mandate of protection, advocacy, and accountability
The Federal and Borno State Governments should establish a clear communication mechanism with families and provide regular updates on rescue efforts and the children’s status.
Relevant authorities urgently review and strengthen security around schools and communities in Askira-Uba and other vulnerable areas.
“Beyond the immediate rescue effort, there must be accountability for the circumstances that allowed these attacks to occur and for the continued vulnerability of schools and communities in the area,” Kabu said.
“Families and the public deserve regular, credible updates on search and rescue efforts, without compromising operational security.”
THESE ARE NOT JUST STATISTICS”
“These are not just statistics. They are our children. They are daughters and sons, brothers and sisters, pupils with dreams and futures ahead of them. We demand their immediate and unconditional release,” Kabu said.
“We also call on the government, security agencies, media, civil society organisations, professional bodies and all Nigerians to ensure that the plight of these children does not disappear from the national conversation.”
PARENTS DESCRIBE 100 DAYS OF AGONY
Parents who protested in Uba on Thursday said the abduction of their children from Mussa 100 days ago has left families traumatised.
Chinda Buba, a parent, told Reuters families have received no information on the children’s whereabouts or health.
“It has been almost a hundred days now, and we still have not seen them,” he said, adding that some parents are “sick and bedridden” from the stress. He appealed for “justice and equal treatment for all Nigerians,” saying the Mussa children “deserve the same attention and urgency” as other abduction cases.
Peace Nicolos, mother of two missing children aged 3 and 8, said families live “in constant worry and pain every day” and “even struggle to eat.” She urged the government to act, noting victims include toddlers as young as one year.
Orbet Lawan Yakubu, representing the traditional head of Mussa, said about 45 children were taken and the incident has _“held us back tremendously”_ as a community.
_“There is nothing more painful than separating children aged 2-3 years from their parents,”_ he said.
The parents called on the Federal Government to expedite rescue efforts and return the children “safely and in good health.”
School attacks remain a major challenge in northeast Nigeria, where Boko Haram and affiliated groups have repeatedly targeted educational institutions in communities bordering the Sambisa Forest.
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