‘Either kill us or rescue our children’: Borno parents threaten to storm Presidential Villa over 80 abducted kids

Parents and community members from Mussa and Lassa in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State have issued a six-day ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu, threatening to march on the Presidential Villa in Abuja if their children — abducted more than 130 days ago — are not rescued.

According to Daily Trust, the distressed families, whose 80 children were seized during a wave of insurgent attacks beginning May 15, 2026 — 44 from Mussa Ward and 36 from Lassa schools — staged a protest in Askira/Uba, expressing fury over what they described as the government’s shocking disparity in response between their situation and the successful rescue of Oyo State schoolchildren.

Parents’ chairman Ishaku Suya delivered the ultimatum directly to the President.

“I’m making this loudest call to Mr. President that we, the parents of the abducted children of Mussa and Lassa, will take over the streets of the presidential villa if he doesn’t rescue our children as he rescued the Oyo children. He should either kill us, leave us alive, or rescue our children,” Suya said.

A grieving mother, Josphin Yohanna, questioned why the same government that swiftly rescued Oyo schoolchildren appeared unmoved by their plight.

“Why shouldn’t the president extend similar urgency to our children in the northeast? We are equally Nigerians,” she said.

House of Representatives member Dr. Midala Usman Balami, representing Askira/Uba and Hawul Federal Constituency, confirmed he had already moved a motion in the National Assembly and pledged vigorous follow-up.

“Our children were abducted same time as those of Oyo but Oyo children were rescued because they defied government calls to be patient, but ours remain in captivity,” another parent said bitterly.

The Presidency had not issued any official response to the ultimatum at press time.