Borno Families Bear the Brunt of Nigeria's Kidnapping Crisis as Ransoms Drain Savings and Schools Shut Down

In northeastern Nigeria, the abduction of loved ones has evolved from a terrifying security incident into a relentless economic and psychological burden for families across Borno State. Relatives of those taken by armed groups describe a harrowing process in which they must sell livestock, seek loans, dispose of property and exhaust lifelong savings simply to raise the ransoms demanded for the release of family members. The crisis, which shows no sign of abating, is reshaping households and communities that have already endured years of insurgency-related violence.

The ordeal of Musa Abdullahi Wakawa illustrates the sudden shock that dozens of families face each month. When he learned his wife and seven-year-old son had been taken, disbelief quickly turned to dread as he confronted the central question now familiar across the region: how to gather the money demanded by the kidnappers. Musa spent days searching for a way to bring his family home, confronting a financial ordeal that has become distressingly common. Across the region, the search for ransom payments has become a painful routine, forcing families to make impossible choices between their livelihoods and the freedom of their relatives.

Behind each abduction lies a story of interrupted lives. Laraba Dauda, a 45-year-old woman, still recalls the final conversation she had with her younger sister, who was abducted on January 13, 2026, along the Biu–Buratai road. Shortly afterward, the phone rang. Her sister was calling from somewhere in the bush. "Aunty, unknown people have kidnapped us and taken us somewhere in the bush. We don't know where they are taking us. At this moment, Aunty, please just help me with your prayers," Laraba recalled her sister saying. The call ended in tears. Months later, the family still does not know where she is being held or whether she remains safe. Laraba is now appealing to the Nigerian government to intensify rescue efforts for those still in captivity. "We need the government to come to our aid and help rescue our relatives who have spent more than six months in captivity," she said.

For other families, the pain is compounded by the collapse of promising futures. Anjikwi Hena's son was abducted on March 30, 2026, just as the family was looking toward better days. The young man had completed his education and was preparing to travel to Maiduguri in search of work. His father encouraged him and prayed for his success. Instead, the young man disappeared into captivity. Hena said the closeness of their relationship has made the uncertainty especially painful, with no word on his son's condition or whereabouts.

The kidnapping crisis is also dismantling an already fragile education system in communities weakened by years of rebellion. In Askira-Uba Local Government Area, only 56 of 113 primary schools are currently functioning, according to Fasuma Askira, the local government education secretary. Before an attack in May on the town of Mussa, 76 primary schools were operating. The threat of further violence subsequently forced authorities to close another 20, leaving only 56 functioning. On May 15, suspected rebel fighters attacked Mussa and abducted dozens of children. A register later obtained by news services identified 40 missing children, although figures provided by the community and government have varied. The Borno State government has more recently referred to about 44 children still missing from Mussa.

The assaults on education have continued. On June 29, armed rebels attacked the Government Day Secondary School in Lassa while students were sitting for National Examinations Council examinations. Some students were recovered shortly after the attack, but 36 students and a teacher have been reported as remaining in captivity. The attacks have deepened fears among parents and teachers already living under the threat of rebel violence. The education authority moved junior secondary students from Mussa to a government boarding school in Uba and advised the local government to deploy community vigilantes around schools. Soldiers have also been deployed in Mussa and Lassa alongside local vigilantes, according to Askira. For families in these communities, keeping children in school now means weighing access to education against the risk of further attacks.

The situation in Borno reflects a much wider national problem. Amnesty International Nigeria says at least 1,100 people were abducted across the country between January and April 2026, while warning that the true figure could be considerably higher because many incidents in remote communities go unreported. "Apart from killing people, gunmen are now on a rampage of abductions, largely for lucrative ransom," said Isa Sanusi, director of Amnesty International Nigeria. "Some stay months at the mercy of gunmen in punishing situations." Amnesty says victims can face torture, starvation and sexual violence, while families are often forced to raise money under extreme pressure. The organisation has also warned that fear of abduction is pushing children out of school, particularly in rural communities.

The Borno State government insists it is confronting the crisis on multiple fronts. Commissioner for Information and Internal Security Usman Tar said the authorities were using both military and nonmilitary measures to tackle insecurity. He acknowledged that the state has several security hotspots, including the Biu-Buratai axis and the Biu-Damboa-Sabon Gari area. "We are putting in place both kinetic and non-kinetic measures in order to overcome the problem," Tar said. He said the state government was working closely with the armed forces by providing additional logistical support and civilian volunteers to assist field operations. "This has enabled us to dominate the hotspot axis," he said, adding that attacks had reduced in some affected areas.

The government is also turning to technology as part of its response, including drones equipped with thermal capabilities to monitor the movement of criminals, Tar said. Authorities, he added, were advising commuters to avoid dangerous routes where necessary, and working to ensure that people involved in kidnapping and other criminal activities were prosecuted. Tar acknowledged the humanitarian and psychological impact on families, saying senior government officials had visited affected families to offer condolences and reassurance. He said authorities also provided financial assistance through the State Emergency Management Agency and the state humanitarian agency, with fixed sums made available to those affected.

Yet for families still waiting, government assurances offer little comfort. The abductions have left a trail of depleted savings, disrupted schooling and unanswered questions. Parents who once saw education as the surest route out of poverty now hesitate to send their children to school. Relatives who once relied on farming and livestock now confront the grim arithmetic of ransoms that can exceed a household's entire annual income. And those whose loved ones remain in captivity, such as Laraba Dauda's sister and Anjikwi Hena's son, continue to wait for news that may never come. The crisis has become a defining feature of life in Borno, shaping not only how families survive but whether they can hold on to any hope for the future.