Fear and anxiety have gripped families in Borno State following the abduction of 13 travellers, including women and a seven-month-old baby, by suspected Boko Haram insurgents along the Biu–Damaturu highway through the Kamuya axis.
The victims were reportedly seized on April 15, 2026, when armed men intercepted two Golf Wagon vehicles conveying passengers along the highway and whisked them away to an unknown location.
Relatives of the abducted travellers have appealed to the Federal Government, Borno State Government, and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure their rescue and ensure their safe return.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Mallam Hassan Yati on behalf of the affected families, who said they have remained in deep distress and uncertainty since the incident.
According to the statement, the victims include women and children, with a seven-month-old baby among those abducted, a situation the families described as deeply traumatic.
Yati said the families have continued to experience sleepless nights and emotional distress, with no clear information on the whereabouts or condition of the abducted persons.
“The families are calling on government authorities, security agencies, humanitarian organisations and all relevant stakeholders to urgently intervene and ensure the safe rescue of the abducted travellers,” he said.
He added that each passing day without progress has worsened the suffering of affected families, who are demanding urgent action to secure the release of their loved ones. The families also called on Nigerians to remember the victims in prayers and support efforts aimed at restoring security along major highways affected by insurgency in the North-East.
Meanwhile, residents have continued to decry the poor condition of the Buni Gari–Kamuya–Buratai–Biu Road, a major route linking parts of southern Borno with Maiduguri and neighbouring states, saying it has become increasingly unsafe for travellers due to persistent attacks and insecurity along the corridor.
