Residents of Borno State have expressed concern over what they described as the federal government’s silence following the abduction of 42 pupils from Mussa community in Askira Uba Local Government Area of the state.

The residents said the response from authorities to the incident has been muted compared to the attention given to similar abductions in other parts of the country, particularly Oyo State, where pupils and teachers were recently kidnapped.

Speaking exclusively, the Chairman of the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State, Abubakar Suleiman, said the federal government had not demonstrated equal urgency in addressing both incidents.

He noted that while a high-level federal delegation, including top security officials, visited Oyo State shortly after that abduction, no similar visit or visible intervention had been recorded in Borno State.

Suleiman called for urgent and intensified search-and-rescue operations for all victims still in captivity, urging authorities to provide regular updates to affected families and communities.

He also appealed for fairness in the government’s response to insecurity across all regions, insisting that all victims deserve equal attention regardless of location.

A political analyst in the state, Abubakar Kareto, also criticised what he described as an imbalance in the federal government’s response to insecurity incidents in different parts of the country.

He said the handling of the Oyo and Borno abductions highlighted a perceived disparity in security prioritisation, warning that such an approach could deepen feelings of neglect in affected communities.

Kareto called on the federal government and security agencies to deploy the same level of intelligence and operational resources used in other regions to ensure the safe rescue of the abducted students in Borno State.

Similarly, the President of the Borno South Youths Alliance Forum, Samaila Kaigama, urged political leaders in the state to take more proactive steps in addressing insecurity and ensuring the protection of citizens.

He criticised what he described as inadequate responses from authorities, arguing that more visible action is needed to reassure affected communities.

The abduction of the 42 pupils and students reportedly occurred on May 16 when suspected Boko Haram insurgents attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.