Deep fear and anxiety have gripped communities in Borno State following the brazen abduction of 13 travellers, including women and a seven-month-old baby, by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
The victims were intercepted on April 15, 2026, along the notorious Biu–Damaturu highway near the Kamuya axis.
The terrorists reportedly ambushed two commercial Golf Wagon vehicles conveying the passengers, forcibly whisking them away to an undisclosed location in the forest.
In a poignant press statement released on Wednesday, the traumatised families of the victims made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government, the Borno State Government, and security agencies to step up rescue operations.
Signed by Mallam Hassan Yati on behalf of the relatives, the statement detailed the agonizing reality of families who have been left in deep pain and uncertainty, receiving little to no information regarding the whereabouts or physical condition of their missing loved ones.
According to Yati, the inclusion of vulnerable women and an infant in the abduction has made the situation particularly heartbreaking.
He lamented that relatives have been enduring sleepless nights and severe emotional distress as days stubbornly roll into weeks without any meaningful updates from authorities.
The families urged government bodies, security forces, and humanitarian organisations to treat the matter with the utmost urgency, stating that every passing day only compounds the psychological torture they are facing.
Beyond immediate rescue efforts, the affected families have also called on the Nigerian public to remember the victims in their prayers and to support all lawful initiatives aimed at restoring peace to the troubled North-East region.
Despite the grim circumstances, the families expressed a resilient hope that a coordinated, swift response from the military and relevant stakeholders could still bring the travellers home alive.
Meanwhile, the incident has reignited heavy criticism from local residents regarding the deplorable state of the Buni Gari–Kamuya–Buratai–Biu road.
The highway serves as a vital economic artery linking Southern Borno to the state capital, Maiduguri, as well as neighbouring Adamawa and Gombe states.
Residents complain that the long-neglected, crater-ridden road has effectively become a death trap, allowing insurgents to leverage the poor terrain to launch frequent, unchecked ambushes on unsuspecting commuters.
