Families of 16 travellers abducted along the Biu-Buratai Road in Borno State have made an emotional appeal to President Bola Tinubu, Governor Babagana Zulum and security agencies, urging them to intensify efforts to secure the safe return of their loved ones after 100 days in captivity.
The victims were kidnapped on April 15, 2026, while travelling to Maiduguri, and their families say the pain of their absence continues to grow with each passing day.
In a statement obtained on Friday, the families described the past 100 days as a period of fear, uncertainty and heartbreak.
“One hundred days may simply be a number on a calendar, but for us, it represents one hundred days of sleepless nights, broken hearts, unanswered prayers and endless anxiety,” the statement read.
One of the victims’ daughters, Lucy Michael, whose parents were among those abducted, said she struggles daily to answer the heartbreaking questions from her younger siblings.
“My siblings keep asking, ‘Where is daddy? Where is mummy?’ I don’t know what to tell them. I only keep assuring them that one day they will return home,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the affected families, Mr. Hassan Yati expressed disappointment that they had received little communication from government authorities since the abduction.
According to him, even a simple assurance that efforts are ongoing would have given the families hope.
“We are pleading, not because we enjoy asking, but because we have no other voice except the media,” Yati said.
He also appealed to journalists and the public not to allow the story to fade away, warning that attacks on travellers along the Biu-Buratai Road have continued since the incident.
Despite their pain, the families said they recently received proof of life from the abductees through voice notes and photographs.
“We thank Almighty God that they are still alive. That alone keeps hope alive in our hearts,” Yati added.
The families also commended security agencies for recent rescue operations in other parts of the country, including the release of abducted teachers and pupils in Oyo State, saying those successes have strengthened their belief that their loved ones can also be rescued.
They appealed to the Federal Government and security agencies to make the rescue of the 16 travellers a priority and bring an end to the suffering their families have endured over the past 100 days.
