COAS visits Borno as Parents lament children’s 155 days in captivity
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Waidi Shuaibu, arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Saturday, amid heightened tensions and a looming protest by the parents of 78 school children who were abducted in May. The high-stakes visit comes as the parents shelved a planned journey to the nation’s capital, where they had threatened to […]
Lieutenant-General Waidi Shuaibu, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), paid a visit to Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Saturday amid rising tensions and a planned protest by parents of 78 school children abducted in Borno. The parents, who had threatened to occupy streets outside the Presidential Villa in Abuja until President Bola Tinubu personally addressed their plight, had postponed their journey due to financial difficulties and the need to provide for their other dependents.
The children were abducted on May 15, 2026, along with teachers and students in Oyo State. Unlike the rescued Oyo victims, the Borno parents claim they have been left to mourn in isolation, with no top security officials visiting the affected communities since the incident. IShaku Suya, chairman of the Association of the Abducted Children’s Parents, expressed disappointment at the lack of attention to their case, contrasting it with the urgent response to the Oyo incident.
The parents now hope Shuaibu's visit to Borno marks a turning point, urging the COAS to personally inspect the affected areas, similar to the military's response following the Oyo abduction. The pressure from the families aligns with increased legislative interest and executive interventions. Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum met with President Tinubu in Abuja to discuss the abducted children's fate, assuring the public of the federal government's commitment to their release.
President Tinubu directed all security agencies to launch nationwide rescue operations, with Minister of Defence Christopher Musa pledging to leave no terrorist or bandit camp standing in Nigeria, ahead of the upcoming elections. Upon his arrival in Maiduguri at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Shuaibu met with senior officers of Operation Hadin Kai at the Maimalari Cantonment, urging troops to ensure a secure electoral process in 2027 and emphasizing the importance of inter-agency collaboration.
He reminded the soldiers of recent salary increases and logistical support from the Federal Government, stating, "To whom much is given, much is expected." The COAS then paid a courtesy call on Governor Zulum.
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