Middle Belt Forum slams govt neglect of abducted students in Borno, Kaduna
The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has called on the Federal Government to intensify rescue operations for all citizens still held by terrorists, criticizing the disparity in attention given to abduction cases across regions. The forum specifically highlighted the case of Mussa in Askira/Uba LGA, Borno State, where 42 children (including toddlers as young as two) were abducted on May 15, 2026—the same day as the Oyo State abduction that received nationwide attention.
The statement noted that while the Oyo victims were rescued amid national mobilization, children from Mussa have suffered in 'almost complete silence' with little concern from Borno State Government, the Nigerian Union of Teachers, civil society organizations, and media. Similar patterns emerged with the June 29 attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, where 36 students (25 girls, 11 boys) and one staff member were abducted—with one teacher killed. The forum also recalled the August 2025 Shikarkir abduction (7 children still captive) and April 2026 attacks in Kaduna's Kachia LGA—Ariko (7 worshippers killed, 37 abducted including an elderly blind man) and Awon (11 abducted, still missing).
MBF spokesperson Luka Binniyat questioned why enormous public resources fund rehabilitation programs for repentant Boko Haram members and bandits while innocent citizens remain abandoned in captivity. The forum emphasized that every Nigerian child deserves equal constitutional protection and appealed to civil society, religious leaders, media, and the international community not to let these victims disappear from public consciousness. It remains unclear how many total abductions occurred across these communities or what specific rescue efforts are underway.