The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts to rescue 42 schoolchildren abducted by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists from Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
It warned that the continued captivity of the children three weeks after the incident underscores the persistent vulnerability of schools in conflict-affected regions.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Emmanuel Onwubiko, its National Coordinator, the civil rights group expressed concern over what it described as the lack of public information regarding the whereabouts of the children and the progress of rescue operations.
The association said the abductees, drawn from primary and junior secondary schools in the community, included toddlers between the ages of two and four, making the incident one of the most distressing attacks on children in recent years.
According to HURIWA, the Federal Government and security agencies must treat the abduction as a national emergency and deploy all available resources to secure the children’s safe return.
