Residents and civil society groups in Borno State have criticized the Federal Government over what they describe as a lack of urgency in responding to the abduction of 42 primary and junior secondary school students from Mussa community in Askira Uba Local Government Area.
Speaking on Monday, Chairman of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno, Abubakar Suleiman, said the government’s response to the Borno incident contrasts sharply with its swift intervention following a similar abduction in Oyo State.
Suleiman noted that while a high-powered federal delegation visited Oyo State after the kidnapping of pupils and teachers, no such intervention had been seen in Borno despite multiple abduction incidents, including the kidnapping of over 400 residents in Ngoshe in May.
A political analyst, Abubakar Kareto, also condemned what he described as an imbalance in federal responses, urging President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to deploy the same level of intelligence and military resources used in Oyo to secure the release of the Askira Uba students.
Meanwhile, President of the Borno South Youths Alliance Forum, Samaila Kaigama, called on political leaders in the state to intensify efforts to secure the children’s release, questioning the effectiveness of current measures and demanding greater support for affected families.
The groups collectively appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to strengthen rescue operations, engage with parents of the victims, and provide regular updates on efforts to secure the safe return of the abducted students.
