The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Waidi Shuaibu, touched down in the Borno State capital of Maiduguri on Saturday amidst rising tensions and an anticipated protest by families of the 78 students abducted back in May.
The high-stakes visit comes as the parents shelved a planned journey to the nation’s capital, where they had threatened to occupy the streets outside the Presidential Villa in Abuja until President Bola Ahmed Tinubu personally addressed their plight.
The postponement comes as the families grapple with crippling poverty, a lack of transport fares, and the struggle to leave behind food for their remaining dependants.
The children were abducted on May 15, 2026, from the Mussa and Lassa communities—the same day school teachers and students were kidnapped in Oyo State. While the Oyo victims have since been rescued, the Borno parents say they have been left to grieve in isolation.
“We were surprised by the level of seriousness accorded to the Oyo children, thinking that the same would be extended to our children. Unfortunately, we were left alone to grieve,” lamented Ishaku Suya, Chairman of the Association of the Abducted Children’s Parents.
Suya noted that no top security chief had visited the affected communities since the tragic incident occurred.
The parents are now looking to the Chief of Army’s current visit to Borno as a turning point, urging him to personally inspect Mussa and Lassa just as military leadership did following the Oyo abduction.
The pressure from the families coincides with increased legislative interest and recent executive interventions.
Earlier this week, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum held a closed-door meeting with President Tinubu in Abuja to discuss the fate of the captive children.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Zulum reassured the public of the federal government’s unwavering commitment to securing their release.
President Tinubu subsequently directed all heads of security agencies to launch rescue operations nationwide.
Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, stated on October 15 that the President gave explicit instructions to leave no terrorist or bandit camp standing in Nigeria, while ensuring a secure environment ahead of the upcoming elections.
During his arrival in Maiduguri at approximately 11 a.m. on Saturday, Lt-Gen Shuaibu immediately went to work.
Following a closed-door meeting with senior officers of Operation Hadin Kai at the Maimalari Cantonment, the COAS addressed the troops, charging them to guarantee a security-free breach during the 2027 electoral process and emphasizing the critical need for inter-agency synergy.
Reminding the soldiers of recent increases in their salaries and logistical backing from the Federal Government, the COAS stated, “To whom much is given, much is expected. You’ve been motivated in this fight against insurgency. As we go towards the elections, you must continue to provide the enabling environment… for it to be a hit-free exercise.” He later paid a courtesy call on Governor Zulum.
What You Should Know
This development highlights the ongoing plight of 78 school children abducted from Mussa and Lassa communities in Borno State, who have remained in captivity for 155 days while their families struggle with poverty and grief. The Chief of Army Staff’s visit follows presidential directives for nationwide rescue operations and comes as the military focuses on election security.
- Positive Impact: The high-level military visit brings renewed executive and security attention to the plight of the abducted children, potentially accelerating targeted rescue operations in the region.
- Potential Concerns: The prolonged captivity of the students highlights deep-seated security vulnerabilities in rural communities and underscores the immense emotional and financial toll placed on neglected families.
