Borno residents slam FG’s silence over 42 abducted students

Residents of Borno State are voicing strong concerns over what they describe as the federal government's silence and unequal response to the abduction of 42 students in Mussa community, Askira Uba Local Government Area. They argue that a similar incident in Oyo State received a significantly higher-profile government delegation and intervention.

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The federal government visited Oyo State with a high-powered delegation, including the National Security Adviser, Minister of Defense, Chief of Staff to the President, among others, with a helicopter and landed at the local government where the abduction took place.

Abubakar Suleiman, Chairman of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State, stated that the federal government's actions demonstrate unfairness to the victims. He pointed out that while a high-powered delegation, including the National Security Adviser and Chief of Staff, visited Oyo State following the abduction of pupils and teachers, Borno has seen no such federal intervention for the 42 students kidnapped on May 16, nor for the 416 people abducted in Ngoshe on May 3.

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In the case of Borno, around 416 people were kidnapped in Ngoshe on the 3rd of May. There has not been any federal government intervention. We also had another incident on the 16 of May; 42 students were kidnapped in Askira Uba. There was no federal government delegation. This doesn’t demonstrate that the federal government is treating victims equally.

"This doesn’t demonstrate that the federal government is treating victims equally," Suleiman told reporters, urging the government to intensify search and rescue efforts and provide parents with updates and assurances. Political Analyst Abubakar Kareto echoed these sentiments, condemning the attacks on both Borno and Oyo students as heartbreaking reminders of the vulnerability of rural schools. He noted that while both abductions occurred on the same day, the government's response to the Oyo incident was rapid and high-profile, including a decision to deploy 1,000 forest guards, whereas the Borno abduction received only standard rhetorical condemnations.

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Our call is for the government to intensify the search, to come and interact with parents and assure them that their children will be united with them as soon as possible. They should also provide us with updates on the issue and let us know when the children are coming back.