At least 13 female farmers have been abducted in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, authorities confirmed, in an attack believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram/ISWAP militants.
The Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Askira, said the incident occurred on Saturday when the women, who are from Huyim District, travelled to Mussa District to harvest their farm produce. Although both communities are within Askira-Uba LGA, residents of Huyim had relocated their farming activities to Mussa due to limited access to their own farmlands.
Hon. Askira revealed that one of the abducted women managed to escape and was reunited with her family on Sunday morning. The remaining 12 victims, reportedly between 15 and 20 years old, are still in captivity, and their whereabouts remain unknown.
In response, both the Deputy Speaker and Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) urged security agencies to intensify efforts to secure the safe release of the young women. They also called on residents to remain vigilant, cooperate with security operatives, and provide timely information that could help prevent further attacks.
They also appealed to the public to pray for the swift return of the victims and for lasting peace in Borno State and the wider region.
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