Residents of Maiduguri, alongside parents, teachers, students, and community leaders, have taken to the streets to demand urgent federal intervention over the continued captivity of schoolchildren abducted during attacks on Mussa and Lassa communities in Borno State.
The protesters called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the safe return of the children, many of whom were kidnapped alongside their teachers during separate attacks by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. Demonstrators carried placards and chanted slogans urging authorities to make the rescue of the victims a top national priority.
Leading the protest, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) expressed concern over the prolonged detention of the abductees, warning that the delay in securing their release has left families in anguish and disrupted education in the affected communities. The union appealed to security agencies to strengthen rescue operations and improve protection for schools across conflict-prone areas.
Parents of the missing children also voiced frustration over what they described as a lack of regular updates on rescue efforts. They urged the Federal Government to work closely with the Borno State Government and security agencies to ensure the victims are brought home safely.
The demonstration comes amid growing concerns about recurring attacks on schools in Nigeria’s North-East, where insurgent groups have repeatedly targeted educational institutions over the past decade. Advocacy groups have warned that the continued abductions threaten access to education and could discourage parents from sending their children to school.
Protesters further called for the full implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative, increased deployment of security personnel to vulnerable communities, and improved intelligence gathering to prevent future attacks.
The demonstrations ended with a renewed appeal to President Bola Tinubu and the nation’s security chiefs to act swiftly, stressing that every day the children remain in captivity increases the risk to their safety and wellbeing. Families of the abducted pupils say they will continue to press for action until their loved ones are safely reunited with them.
