Borno Residents Accuse FG of Double Standards Over Abduction of 48 Schoolchildren

Residents of Borno State have criticised the Federal Government over what they describe as its prolonged silence and inadequate response to the abduction of 48 primary and junior secondary school pupils in Mussa community, Askira/Uba Local Government Area.

The residents expressed concern that while the Federal Government swiftly mobilised a high-powered delegation to Oyo State following a recent school abduction, a similar level of attention has not been given to victims in Borno.

Speaking in Maiduguri on Monday, Chairman of the Civil Society Organisations in Borno State, Abubakar Suleiman, said the disparity in official response was troubling and unfair to victims and their families.

According to him, federal authorities promptly dispatched senior officials, including the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Staff to the President, to Oyo State after the kidnapping incident there.

“In Borno, over 400 people were reportedly abducted in Ngoshe in May, while dozens of pupils were also taken in Askira/Uba. Yet there has been no comparable federal intervention or engagement with affected communities,” Suleiman said.

He called on the government to intensify efforts to rescue all victims still in captivity and maintain regular communication with affected families.

“Our appeal is for government officials to visit the communities, reassure parents, provide updates on rescue efforts and demonstrate commitment to securing the release of the children,” he added.

Political analyst Abubakar Kareto also expressed concern over what he described as an imbalance in the government’s response to the two incidents.

He noted that the abductions in Askira/Uba and Oriire in Oyo State occurred around the same period and both involved schoolchildren, yet received markedly different levels of national attention.

Kareto argued that every mass abduction, regardless of location, should attract the same level of urgency and deployment of security resources.

He urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and security agencies to intensify rescue operations in Borno and ensure that communities in the North-East receive equal protection and attention.

“Every Nigerian community deserves the same level of concern and intervention from the Federal Government, irrespective of geography,” he said.

Also reacting, President of the Borno South Youths Alliance Forum, Samaila Kaigama, called on political leaders in the state to increase advocacy efforts aimed at securing the release of the abducted children and improving security in vulnerable communities.

The abduction of schoolchildren in Askira/Uba has renewed concerns over the safety of schools in conflict-affected areas of the North-East, where attacks by insurgent groups have continued to threaten access to education and community stability.

As families await the safe return of their children, stakeholders are urging authorities to strengthen rescue operations and ensure that all victims of insecurity receive equal attention and support.