Twenty-five days after the abduction of their children, parents of the Mussa schoolchildren in Borno State kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists have recounted their pain, as 42 children remain in captivity.
In exclusive interviews with LEADERSHIP, they recounted the events of the day, noting that the incident had caused intense emotional strain on their families.
While appealing to the state and federal governments to intensify efforts to secure the release of the children, the parents said the situation has led many families to withdraw their children from school for fear of another attack.
According to them, the day began like any other school day in Mussa, Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, on 15 May 2026.
The children, dressed in their uniforms, filed into classes at Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School carrying notebooks, pencils and the hope that education would help them overcome the limitations imposed by the Boko Haram insurgency that has ravaged Borno State for more than a decade.
But by mid-morning, that hope was shattered. Boko Haram terrorists stormed the school compound, and amid the chaos, 42 pupils and students were abducted.
Parents who arrived to pick up their children at closing time found empty classrooms and eerie silence.
According to an account by the senator representing Southern Borno Senatorial District, Senator Ali Ndume, 32 pupils and students were taken from the school, while another 10 were seized from nearby homes.
Twenty-five days after the abduction, three parents of six of the 42 missing children have broken their silence to recount their ordeal.
Speaking to our correspondent, the parents described sleepless nights, empty meal tables and the agony of enduring each passing day without their children.
A farmer, Tafinda James, whose three children aged between eight and 12 years are among the captives, said he took them to school on the fateful day before heading to his farm. By mid-morning, however, news of the abduction had spread throughout the community.
He said when he rushed to the school with a few relatives, he discovered that all three of his children were among those abducted.
James added that many affected families initially believed security agencies would quickly pursue the terrorists and rescue the children. They waited on the school premises, hoping to be reunited with their loved ones, but their hopes soon turned into a nightmare.
“When I heard of the abduction, I quickly ran to the school with two of my relatives, but what we met at the school were deserted classrooms, with the atmosphere reflecting a community in disarray.
“From that moment, it appeared as if my world had come to an end. We have waited in pain and agony for the past 25 days without any update or clue from the government about the whereabouts of our abducted children,” he said.
The father of the three missing children appealed directly to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum and President Bola Tinubu to ensure the urgent rescue of the abductees, saying 25 days without news of their children felt like “a lifetime of fear”.
He urged the government to deploy more troops and strengthen intelligence gathering around schools to prevent similar attacks, warning that fear was already reducing school attendance in the community and surrounding areas.
For Sule Baba Musa, whose two children are among the 42 abducted schoolchildren, the incident has compounded the suffering of families already living under the constant threat of Boko Haram attacks in Askira-Uba.
He said insurgents frequently attack villages, kill residents, burn houses and loot foodstuffs and livestock.
Musa said his family gathers daily to pray for the safe return of the children, adding that the past 25 days had been a living nightmare.
“I am pleading with the Federal Government and our governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, to listen to our cry and work earnestly for the rescue of our children.
“Some parents have stopped sending their children to school because no certificate is worth losing a life,” he lamented.
Adamu Garba, whose child remains in captivity alongside the other abducted schoolchildren, said the incident had reopened wounds caused by years of insurgency.
According to him, residents are tired of hearing promises without seeing concrete action.
“What we want now is visible security and a clear plan from both the federal and state governments to bring our children home,” Garba said.
People of Mussa Make Urgent Appeal for Rescue of Schoolchildren
Residents of Mussa have appealed for the immediate rescue of the 42 schoolchildren abducted 25 days ago from a government school in Askira-Uba Local Government Area.
Community leaders, elders and youths made the appeal through their spokesman, Pastor Simon Kyelimi, saying the prolonged silence from authorities had deepened fear and uncertainty across the community.
According to them, markets have become quiet, farming activities have declined and many parents now refuse to send their children to school.
One elder said:
“We are tired of promises. Our children must return home.”
The community specifically appealed to Governor Zulum, President Tinubu and security agencies to intensify search-and-rescue operations and deploy more troops to forest corridors surrounding Mussa.
They warned that if the children were not rescued soon, education in the entire local government area could suffer a severe setback as families continue to relocate out of fear.
Borno Lawmaker Calls for Rescue of Schoolchildren
Meanwhile, the member representing Askira-Uba/Hawul Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Usman Midala Balami, has called for decisive action by the Federal Government and the military to secure the release of the abducted children.
Balami made the call shortly after presenting a Motion of Urgent Public Importance on the floor of the House.
He stressed that concerted efforts and coordinated action were needed to secure the freedom of the 42 pupils and students held by terrorists since last month.
“I urge the Federal Government and all relevant security agencies to take immediate and decisive action to rescue the 42 abducted pupils from Mussa Ward, Askira-Uba Local Government Area, as well as all other persons currently held in captivity, and reunite them with their families,” Balami said.
He also urged government at all levels to expand and strengthen school protection initiatives to encourage enrolment and attendance.
According to him, recurring attacks and the abduction of schoolchildren threaten access to education and heighten fear among residents.
Borno Orders Temporary Closure of School
Meanwhile, the Borno State Government has ordered the immediate closure of the affected school and directed that pupils and students be relocated to safer schools within the local government area.
The incident is the first school abduction by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State since the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ kidnapping.
As part of immediate safety measures under the Safe Schools Initiative, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, directed the temporary closure of Government Day Secondary School, Mussa, and approved its relocation to Government Secondary School, Uba, where students are expected to continue their education under safer and more secure conditions.
Wakilbe led a state government delegation to Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area following the abduction of the 42 students by suspected insurgents on 15 May 2026.
The visit formed part of the Borno State Government’s response to the incident and followed an earlier sympathy visit by Governor Zulum on 19 May, during which he assured residents of the government’s commitment to securing the safe return of the abducted students.
