From Uthman Abubakar Maiduguri
Three weeks after the abduction of 42 school children at Musa community, Askira-Uba LGA, Borno State by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, parents and stakeholders of the area have begun to lose patience over the tragedy, demanding government and the security agencies to explore every option to rescue their children.
The children, aged between two years and 16 years, were abducted from Musa Primary and Junior Secondary School, Friday, May 15. Nothing has been heard about them since then.
“Every hour in captivity is an hour too long,” Engr Abdullahi Musa Askira, Deputy Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly and spokesman for the parents and stakeholders, fumed at a news conference in Maiduguri, Saturday, June 6.
“As stakeholders holders, we have remained patient and silent for these past three weeks, firmly believing that our government and gallant security forces were doing everything within their power to secure the swift rescue of our children,” Engr Askira, flanked by a large crowd of the stakeholders, told newsmen.
“However, that patience is now eclipsed by deep anxiety and worry,” he grieved, explaining, “Three weeks is an agonizing long time for young, underaged children to be held in the wilderness, far from warmth, protection, and comfort of their parents.”
Engr Askira confirmed that since the fateful day, there has not been any contact with the abductors, stressing, “To the best of my knowledge, there has not been any contact with the abductors.”
He said: “We are urgently appealing to the relevant authorities to intensify all rescue operations and deploy every available intelligence, kinetic and non-kinetic option to secure the immediate and safe release of these children.” END
