Intensify Search For Abducted Borno Schoolchildren, Ndume Tells Military

A former Senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has urged the Nigerian military to intensify efforts to secure the release of schoolchildren and other victims abducted by insurgents in Mussa and Lassa communities in Southern Borno.

Checks revealed that 42 pupils were abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Mussa in May.

A similar incident occurred in June when insurgents attacked Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba local government area, abducting 36 students and a teacher.

Ndume made made the appeal during a visit to the Theatre Command, North-East “Operation Hadin Kai”, where he met with the Theatre Commander, Maj-Gen.Abdulsalam Abubakar, according to a statement issued by the senator’s media office.

He commended the military for its sustained efforts to combat insurgency and restore relative peace across Borno State and other parts of the North-East.

Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, said his appeal should not be misconstrued as an indictment of the military, but rather as part of his responsibility as a representative of the people to draw attention to their plight and demand action where necessary.

He said, “We know you are making efforts, but because of the anxiety we all share and the length of time these people have remained away from their families, I have to continue to push for greater effort,” he said.

“The people are anxious, and the families are waiting. We appreciate what the military is doing, but we will continue to appeal for greater efforts until our people are reunited with their families.”

The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army acknowledged the significant improvement in the security situation in Borno State, attributing the progress to the sacrifices of officers and soldiers operating across the theatre.

He also commended the coordination and synergy among the military and other security agencies, describing the collaboration as a major factor behind the gains recorded in the fight against insurgency.

Ndume further urged the military to sustain the momentum and intensify operations aimed at locating and safely reuniting the remaining abductees with their families.

In his response, the theatre commander Major General Abubakar thanked Ndume for the visit and assured him that the concerns raised over the abducted victims in the custody of insurgents had been noted.

The commander reiterated the commitment of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies to ongoing operations aimed at protecting communities, stabilising affected areas and facilitating the safe return of residents displaced by years of insurgency.

Abubakar attributed the successes recorded in the theatre to the support of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, whom he said had a deep understanding of the operational environment in the North-East.

He assured the senator that the military would continue to expand its presence across vulnerable areas by establishing new formations, deploying additional troops, and strengthening existing sectors.

As part of proactive measures to strengthen military presence across Southern Borno and adjoining parts of Adamawa State, the Theatre Commander disclosed that about 1,000 youths from Southern Borno, mostly from Gwoza Local Government Area, would be recruited into the military.

The planned recruitment, he said, would further strengthen security operations and improve the military’s capacity to respond to threats across vulnerable communities in the region.