Prominent leaders and stakeholders from the Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State have made an urgent and emotional plea to terrorists, demanding the immediate and unconditional release of 42 school children who were abducted three weeks ago.
The delegation, led by the Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Askira, voiced their deep concerns on Monday during a press briefing in Maiduguri.
The stakeholders expressed overwhelming worry regarding the prolonged captivity of the young pupils, noting that the situation has plunged their immediate families and the entire community into a state of severe psychological trauma and unending anxiety.
Speaking passionately on behalf of the affected communities, Askira lamented the three-week ordeal, pointing out that the tender age of the victims makes the situation completely unacceptable.
He stated, “We passionately appeal to the conscience of those behind this heinous act: these are children, not soldiers or politicians. They are the future of Borno and Nigeria.”
The lawmaker further implored the abductors to have the fear of God, maintaining that “We urge you to fear Almighty God and release them unconditionally. Children must never be used as bargaining chips.”
According to the Deputy Speaker, the community had previously chosen to maintain a calm and quiet disposition, operating under the assumption that state mechanisms and security operatives were actively working to bring the children home safely.
He explained that “As stakeholders, we have remained patient and silent for these past three weeks, firmly believing that the government and our gallant security forces were doing everything within their power to secure the swift rescue of our children.”
He however noted that the prolonged silence from the camp of the abductors and the lack of breakthrough has now caused that patience to give way to profound worry.
Despite the tense situation, Askira used the opportunity to acknowledge the administrative efforts of both the federal and state governments in tackling the security loopholes.
“We wish to commend the untiring efforts of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his sustained commitment to restoring peace across the nation,” he remarked.
He equally extended appreciation to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for visiting the local government area shortly after the incident to offer comfort and reassurance to the grieving parents.
Turning attention to the geographical vulnerabilities of the area, the local leaders called on the federal government to urgently deploy more security personnel to Askira/Uba. They emphasized that the local government shares direct borders with the notorious Sambisa Forest, which has historically served as a base for terrorist factions.
To mitigate future occurrences, Askira explained that “Furthermore, we must address the urgent need for a more robust security presence. Askira/Uba Local Government shares immediate borders with the fringes of the Sambisa Forest, making our communities uniquely vulnerable.”
He further specified that the region requires “the immediate establishment of a permanent and fortified security architecture, including strengthened school security, rapid-response units, forward operating bases and sustained patrols to provide the protection our people desperately need.”
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