SUSPECTED Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly called on the Federal Government to negotiate the release of more than 50 abducted residents in Borno State through a journalist they selected as a mediator.
News Point Nigeria reports that the development came as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) assured Nigerians that the 42 pupils abducted from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State on May 15 had not been forgotten, assuring that troops were working tirelessly to secure their safe release.
It was gathered that 13 of the victims, including a seven-month-old baby and her mother, a pregnant woman with her three-year-old child, and a couple travelling together, were abducted while travelling from Biu to Maiduguri on April 15.
Other victims include recent graduates, students and two siblings who were forced to sit in the boot of the vehicle because they could not afford the transport fare.
The spokesperson for the families of the abducted victims, Hassan Yati, confirmed on Friday that the kidnappers had provided relatives with a proof-of-life photograph as well as voice notes from those in captivity.
According to Yati, the terrorist group requested that the government open a channel for negotiations through a journalist they had personally selected as mediator, although he declined to disclose the identity of the journalist.
“We received voice notes telling us they (victims) are alive and many in captivity more than the number we are asking. We learnt they are over 50 in numbers there.
“Government should reach out to them through a journalist mediator they have chosen with name I am withholding,” Yati said.
He, however, stated that the families were ready to provide all relevant information already received if the government showed interest in opening communication.
“So, if the government reach out to us, we will link them up with the journalist and they can pick it from there,” he added.
When asked whether the terrorists had made additional demands, Yati said the group was prepared to disclose more details once communication with the government commenced.
“It doesn’t have to be ransom like the case of Oyo. The government has the cards,” he said.
Yati appealed to both the Federal Government and the Borno State Government to act swiftly in the interest of families who have endured months of anguish since the abductions.
“The demand of the terrorists is simple. Let the government engage them through the mediator they chose already,” he added.
On July 23, families of the victims, alongside relatives of other persons still in captivity, gathered at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Maiduguri to mark 100 days since the abductions and appealed to the government to intensify efforts towards securing their freedom.
Meanwhile, fresh concerns have emerged over the welfare and survival of 78 schoolchildren abducted in separate attacks on schools in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The concerns also centre on the children’s whereabouts and health, particularly amid the cholera outbreak in the state, even as the government is said to have received proof-of-life for some of them.
This newspaper reported that 42 students and pupils were abducted after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira Uba Local Government Area.
Similarly, on June 29, suspected Boko Haram terrorists invaded Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, also in Askira Uba Local Government Area, abducting 36 students and one teacher.
The two separate attacks brought the total number of missing children to 78.
Following the incidents, families, stakeholders and critics have continued to express concern over what they described as the negligence and prolonged silence of both the Federal Government and the Borno State Government.
The Chairman of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State, Abubakar Suleiman, urged the government to consistently update citizens on ongoing rescue efforts.
“For someone to be in captivity for more than two months, that is really horrific, and I aligned to the opinion that government is keeping the citizens in absolute darkness. We want the government to respond more quickly and provide clear update about the situation of the missing children,” he said.
Suleiman also appealed to the government to intensify efforts to ensure that the abducted children were rescued unharmed and returned to their classrooms.
“We also appeal to the government to ensure that every other citizen abducted, regardless of where they are, are reunited with their families,” he added.
One of the parents of the abducted pupils in Lassa, Emmanuel Keri, lamented that families had received no information whatsoever about the students since the incident.
“We have not heard anything since their abduction in Lassa,” he said, adding that the tragedy had subjected affected families to countless sleepless nights.
“I am begging the government to release our children for us. We are not happy at all,” he pleaded.
Another parent, who requested anonymity, said many families were suffering in silence.
“You know in the North, as women, we have a culture of allowing men to champion issues like this and speak for us. But one thing I can tell you is that we are dying in silence. Every day, our minds are filled with assumptions. What is our offence? Is it a crime to send children to school?” she asked.
Responding to enquiries on Friday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, assured Nigerians that the abducted pupils had not been forgotten by the military.
“They can never be forgotten. The military is doing everything possible to get them released and hopefully, it will soon happen.
“Operation HADIN KAI has put in place measures to ensure that they are released safely,” he said.