Families seek rescue of 13 abducted Borno travellers after 60 days in captivity

Families of 13 travellers abducted along the Biu–Maiduguri–Damaturu road have appealed to security agencies and government authorities to intensify efforts to secure their release, saying the victims have now spent 60 days in captivity.

The appeal was made during a press briefing held on Saturday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Press Centre in Maiduguri, where the spokesman for the affected families, Hassan Yati, expressed concern over the prolonged silence surrounding the victims’ whereabouts.

According to Yati, the travellers were abducted on April 15, 2026, after suspected ISWAP/Boko Haram insurgents ambushed two station wagon vehicles along the Biu–Buratai–Kamuya road and took the passengers into the bush.

He said the families remain in distress despite recent rescue operations that secured the release of other abducted persons in Borno State, noting that there has been no confirmed information about the 13 victims.

Among those abducted, he said, are a nursing mother travelling with her seven-month-old baby, young graduates heading to Maiduguri for National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, processing, a married couple from Hawul and several other passengers.

Yati lamented that repeated attacks along the Biu–Maiduguri corridor have continued to endanger commuters despite the road serving as a major route for many communities in the region.

He also highlighted the emotional and psychological impact of the abductions on the victims’ families, many of whom have spent weeks without any communication from their loved ones.

While expressing optimism that the captives could still be rescued, Yati commended recent efforts by security agencies that led to the release of other abducted persons and urged authorities to sustain such operations.

The families appealed to President Bola Tinubu, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, the National Security Adviser and other relevant authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the captives.

They also called for increased security along the Biu–Damaturu–Maiduguri road, improved surveillance, rehabilitation of the highway and stricter passenger transport regulations to enhance the safety of travellers.