Borno State, Nigeria (Running Africa) — Parents of children abducted from schools in Nigeria’s Borno State have staged a protest in Uba, demanding urgent government action to secure their release nearly 100 days after they were taken from their classrooms.
The children were abducted on May 15 from the community of Mussa, near the Sambisa Forest, an area long associated with Islamist militant activity in northeastern Nigeria.
Community leaders say around 45 children from Mussa remain unaccounted for, leaving families with little information about their whereabouts or condition.
A separate attack in nearby Lassa on June 29 resulted in the abduction of another 36 students and a teacher, all of whom are still believed to be in captivity.
Borno Parents Demand Release of Abducted Schoolchildren
Parents gathered in Uba to demand greater action from authorities as the Mussa kidnapping approaches the 100-day mark.
Families say months of uncertainty have taken an enormous emotional toll, with many still waiting for information about whether their children are safe and where they are being held.
The protest reflects mounting frustration within communities that have endured years of insecurity despite sustained military operations against armed groups in northeastern Nigeria.
For the affected families, the immediate demand is clear: the safe return of their children.
Around 45 Children Still Missing After Mussa School Abduction
According to community leaders, around 45 children remain missing following the May 15 school kidnapping in Mussa.
The community lies near the Sambisa Forest, an area historically associated with Boko Haram and other militant activity.
Nearly 100 days later, families say they remain largely in the dark about the children’s condition.
The length of their captivity has intensified fears among parents and renewed concerns about the vulnerability of schools in communities affected by Nigeria’s long-running insurgency.
36 Students and Teacher Abducted in Separate Lassa Attack
The Mussa families are not alone.
On June 29, another attack in nearby Lassa resulted in the kidnapping of 36 students and a teacher.
They are also believed to remain in captivity, bringing the number of missing students and education workers from the two incidents to more than 80.
The separate attacks within weeks of each other have reinforced concerns that schools remain vulnerable targets despite years of security operations across the region.
School Kidnappings Remain Security Challenge in Nigeria
Nigeria has struggled with repeated school kidnappings and mass abductions, with armed groups targeting students and communities across several parts of the country.
In northeastern Nigeria, the threat is closely connected to the insurgency involving Boko Haram and its ISWAP offshoot, which has killed and displaced thousands of people over more than a decade.
Although the insurgency has weakened from its peak, militants continue to carry out attacks against civilians, security forces and vulnerable communities.
Schools have remained particularly sensitive targets because mass kidnappings can generate widespread fear and place significant pressure on authorities.
Sambisa Forest Remains Symbol of Nigeria’s Insurgency
The location of the Mussa kidnapping near Sambisa Forest carries particular significance.
The vast forest has long been associated with Boko Haram and became internationally notorious following previous mass abductions in northeastern Nigeria.
Years of military operations have weakened militant control across parts of the region, but insecurity persists and armed groups retain the ability to stage attacks.
That continuing threat has left communities caught between efforts to restore normal life and the possibility of renewed violence.
Families Await Answers as Captivity Approaches 100 Days
For the parents protesting in Uba, the broader security debate is secondary to the immediate question of when their children will return home.
Nearly 100 days after the Mussa abduction, around 45 children remain missing. Another 36 students and a teacher taken from Lassa are also believed to remain captive.
Their continued disappearance has renewed attention on Nigeria’s school kidnapping crisis and the challenges facing authorities attempting to secure communities across the northeast.
Until the children return, families say the uncertainty will continue, along with pressure on the government to demonstrate that schools in Borno can be protected from the armed groups that have threatened the region for years.
