Borno community seeks release of 78 abducted school children

Seventy-eight schoolchildren and one teacher were taken from schools in Mussa and Lassa communities in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. The abductors were suspected Boko Haram terrorists. The victims were in school when the attacks occurred, not travelling or committing any offence. Their abduction has left families and the wider Marghi community waiting for answers and a safe return.

On May 16, 42 students and pupils were abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School. On June 29, suspected terrorists invaded Government Day Secondary School in Lassa and took 36 students and one teacher. Together, these incidents account for the 78 children and one teacher described by the community.

The community said the victims had spent 140 days, or about five months, in captivity. It appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Babagana Zulum, and security agencies to intensify rescue efforts. Families are seeking clear communication, coordinated action, and the safe return of their loved ones.

The abductions involved 78 schoolchildren and one teacher from two schools in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. The first attack happened at Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School. The second occurred at Government Day Secondary School in Lassa. These figures show that the incident was not a single disappearance, but two attacks affecting schools in the same local government area.

On May 16, suspected Boko Haram terrorists abducted 42 students and pupils from the Mussa school. On June 29, suspected terrorists invaded the Lassa school and abducted 36 students and one teacher. The two student totals add up to 78, while the teacher brings the total number of people taken to 79.

The community said the children and teacher had remained in captivity for 140 days. It also described the period as five months. The length of captivity has increased fear and uncertainty, leading the Marghi community to press federal and state authorities for stronger, sustained rescue action.

Abduction is the unlawful taking and holding of a person against that person’s will. In this case, suspected terrorists removed students and a teacher from schools and kept them in captivity. The victims were not described as offenders or people wandering in the community. They were attending school, which makes the incident a direct threat to their safety and freedom.

The Mussa and Lassa attacks affected children who were seeking education and preparing for their futures. A school should provide a structured place for learning, but the attacks turned it into a scene of danger. The teacher was also taken, leaving a family and a community waiting for a safe return. The community asked why going to school had exposed the victims to captivity.

The consequences extend beyond the people physically taken. Families face fear, anguish, uncertainty, sleepless nights, and disrupted lives. Other children may also become afraid to attend school. The community therefore says rescue efforts must protect education, restore confidence, and ensure that no child becomes invisible because of location.

The article identifies the abductors as suspected Boko Haram terrorists or suspected terrorists. “Suspected” is important because the report does not provide confirmed identities, evidence, or details about the individuals involved. Boko Haram is the name commonly used for an armed extremist insurgent group active in northeastern Nigeria. That identification comes from established background knowledge, not additional details in this article.

Armed groups in conflict-affected areas may attack schools because schools are visible community institutions and because disrupting education can frighten families and weaken public life. Boko Haram has historically opposed forms of education it associates with Western influence. However, the article itself does not state a motive for the Mussa or Lassa attacks, so no specific reason can be assigned to these incidents.

What is clear is the result: 78 children and one teacher were taken from school. The attacks created fear and uncertainty across the community. The government’s response therefore requires security and intelligence work to identify those responsible, locate the victims, and secure their safe release.

Keeping the children and teacher captive affects far more people than those physically taken. The Marghi community described fear, anguish, and uncertainty in the area. Families are left asking where their loved ones are and how they are surviving. The article says households have been painfully disrupted, while relatives endure tears, sleepless nights, and weakening strength.

Education also suffers. The children were abducted while seeking knowledge and preparing for their futures. When students are taken from school, families may fear sending children back, and communities may lose trust in the safety of classrooms. The teacher’s captivity adds another disruption to school life. The article presents education as a basic pursuit that should not expose children to hazard and captivity.

The community’s continuing uncertainty can damage morale and test faith in public protection. It asked for meaningful communication, coordinated action, and sustained follow-up, not assurances alone. A safe return could begin restoring confidence, while prolonged captivity would deepen the emotional and educational harm already described.

Responsibility is shared between federal and state authorities and the security bodies involved in rescue operations. The Marghi community appealed to the federal government and Governor Babagana Zulum. It also urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to mobilise security and intelligence agencies to secure the victims’ release. Governor Zulum was asked to prioritise the rescue in discussions with the Federal Government and relevant agencies.

The article does not identify particular security or intelligence organisations by name. Instead, it calls for clear responsibility, effective coordination, and sustained follow-up through the agencies involved in securing the victims. Families also want meaningful communication, because government assurances alone have not ended their fear or uncertainty.

The requested response is therefore both operational and political. Security and intelligence agencies must work to locate and release the children and teacher safely. Federal and state leaders must keep the case active, coordinate their efforts, and communicate with affected families. The community’s appeal shows that responsibility must continue until the victims return.

Children in conflict-affected areas face a basic problem: reaching school can expose them to armed violence. The Mussa and Lassa incidents show this danger clearly. Students and a teacher were taken from school, even though they were there to learn and work. The community said the attacks made the pursuit of knowledge a source of hazard and captivity.

Insecurity interrupts education through direct attacks, fear, and uncertainty. Families may struggle to trust that schools can protect their children. Teachers can also become targets, making it harder for schools to function. In this case, the abduction of 78 children and one teacher disrupted households and created anxiety throughout the community. The article does not provide attendance figures or describe school closures.

Safe education requires more than promises. The community called for sustained action, communication, and coordinated follow-up to secure the victims’ release. Until children and teachers can attend school without fear, insecurity will continue to threaten learning, family confidence, and the future the students were preparing to build.