House of Representatives member Mohammed Bello El-Rufai has appealed to the Federal Government and security authorities to increase efforts to free schoolchildren kidnapped in Borno State.
El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency, made the appeal in a statement on Tuesday as the affected children neared 130 days in captivity.
The pupils were seized in two separate attacks on Mussa and Lassa communities in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
Available reports state that 44 children were taken from Mussa Ward during an attack on May 15, while 36 students were reportedly abducted from Lassa on June 29. However, reports have given different figures regarding the number of victims still being held.
The lawmaker spoke after parents and residents of the affected communities protested in Askira/Uba over the continued detention of the children.
The demonstrators reportedly gave the authorities six days to secure the victims’ freedom, saying they would take their protest to the Presidential Villa in Abuja if the children were not released.
The parents also questioned why the response to the Borno abductions appeared different from the handling of the recent kidnapping of students in Oyo State, who were eventually rescued.
Commenting on the situation, El-Rufai said the children had spent an unacceptable amount of time in captivity and urged the government to make their rescue a matter of immediate concern.
He said keeping the children in captivity for 130 days was too long and warned that the incident should not be allowed to disappear from public attention.
El-Rufai said the abducted children should not become another forgotten case, stressing the need for authorities to take decisive steps to bring them back to their families.
The Kaduna lawmaker also acknowledged the efforts of security personnel in other parts of the country, particularly the operation that resulted in the rescue of the Oyo schoolchildren.
However, he noted that the successful recovery of those victims should encourage security agencies to devote greater attention to the children still being held in Borno.
He urged security forces to build on their recent achievements by strengthening operations aimed at locating the abductors and securing the release of the remaining victims.
According to El-Rufai, the rescue of the Oyo students demonstrates the importance of sustained security efforts and should increase the determination to recover the Borno children.
He further appealed to the Federal Government to maintain pressure on those responsible for the abductions and ensure that every necessary measure is considered to secure the victims’ safe return.
The lawmaker’s intervention comes amid increasing frustration among parents and residents of Mussa and Lassa, who have continued to demand government action.
With the children approaching 130 days in captivity, El-Rufai said the authorities must treat their situation with the urgency it deserves and intensify efforts until the victims are safely reunited with their families.
