Banditry: ACF, Middle-Belt Forum worried as over 500 northern victims languish in forests

Despite sustained efforts by the federal government and security agencies, over 500 kidnapped victims are still being held captive in forests across the northern part of the country, DAILY POST reports.

Many of the victims, abducted by terrorists operating in states including Borno, Kwara, Kaduna and Zamfara, have remained in captivity for several months, enduring harsh conditions in their abductors’ hideouts.

While the Nigerian military on July 10 announced the rescue of pupils and teachers kidnapped from Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, hundreds of other victims in the North continue to languish in captivity across various forest camps.

176 victims in Kwara forest

DAILY POST reports that suspected Boko Haram terrorists launched a coordinated attack on Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State on February 4, 2026.

Reports indicate that the attackers killed more than 100 residents during the assault and abducted 176 women and children.

More than five months later, the abductees remain in captivity, making them some of the longest-held kidnap victims in the country.

242 still held in Zamfara

On April 2, the bandits causing mayhem in parts of Zamfara State, launched deadly attacks on Kurfa Ɗanya and Kurfan Magaji communities in the Bukkuyum Local Government Area of the state, abducting at least 150 villages.

About 92 others were subsequently abducted by the assistants in Anka and Tsafe Local Government Areas of the state.

Months after their various abductions, the victims are still reportedly being held by their abductors as rescue operations continue.

48 languish in Kaduna forest

According to the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, more than 80 days after gunmen invaded the Ariko community during Easter celebrations and abducted worshippers, 37 Christians are still being held captive.

Similarly, 11 residents kidnapped from Awon community have remained in captivity for over two months.

Reports indicate that repeated appeals to security agencies have produced little or no information about the victims, leaving their families in prolonged uncertainty and emotional distress.

42 pupils spend over two months in Borno forest

On May 15, suspected Boko Haram insurgents abducted 42 schoolchildren and toddlers during an attack on Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

The victims, who were kidnapped on the same day as the abduction incident in Oyo State, have now spent two months and five days in captivity.

While the Oyo victims were rescued on July 10, their counterparts in Borno remain in the custody of the terrorists, who are believed to be holding them in the Sambisa Forest.

Northerners allege biased approach

Following the rescue of abducted pupils and teachers in Oyo State, some Northern groups accused the Nigerian government of bias.  

They claim the government gave the Oyo incident more attention than it has given to similar abductions in Northern states.

On July 14, 2026, youths and students from various tertiary institutions in Borno State staged a protest, drawing attention to the pupils and other citizens in captivity.

Speaking, the leader of the Youth and Students Forum in Borno State, Suleiman Muhammed, urged the authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of all persons still in captivity in Borno and other parts of the country as done in Oyo State.

Muhammed also cautioned against yielding to terrorists’ demands for ransom, warning that such payments could embolden criminal groups and worsen the nation’s security challenges.

ACF, Middle-Belt Forum task government

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and the Middle-Belt Forum on Sunday urged Federal and State Governments to facilitate the rescue of abducted northern citizens.

In separate interviews with DAILY POST, the spokesperson of the ACF, Prof. Tukur Mohammed-Baba and the President of the Middle-Belt Forum, Pogu Bitrus urged both the state and the federal governments to put more efforts in ensuring that all the victims are released.

Apply your new tactics to rescue victims in North – ACF tells authorities

ACF spokesperson, while expressing joy over the rescue of the abducted Oyo pupils and teachers, called on the government to extend similar efforts toward securing the freedom of victims still being held captive in northern Nigeria.

Tukur said the forum “congratulates those rescued in Oyo State and we urge the government to ensure that they are rehabilitated soon.

“We are also pleading with the government to ensure that the same gesture be applied to those pupils abducted from Borno, Kwara, Zamfara States and any other place where children and any other person is currently being held.

“We hope that they are now using a new tactic and that the tactic will continue to be used for the freedom of anyone currently in captivity.

“For now, we don’t want to rush and say the government is being biased, but we urged the government to manage the situation very well so that it does not degenerate further. 

“If it is a new strategy, we welcome it and we hope that they use it across the board.

“The government has not been doing enough and that is why we called for a new strategy and if the release of the Oyo State victims signals a new strategy, we are happy.  

“The greater goal should be to decapitate all the terrorists. The fight against the terrorists has to be taken to the terrorists.

“Government officials should not just sit down somewhere and react, they need to be proactive”.

Northern governors need to sit up – Middle-Belt Forum

President of the forum, Pogu Bitrus told DAILY POST that the northern governors were not doing enough, alleging that some were taking advantage of the security crisis for political gains.

He said, “The press also has to be blamed. There was more focus on the Oyo incident to the extent that it became a national issue. Unfortunately, there have been several people kidnapped from different parts of the north even since last year.

“They are all languishing in kidnappers’ den while the government takes so much attention and effort in rescuing the abducted Oyo victims.

“Another problem is the governors. You could see that the Oyo State Governor stood up to the task of rescuing the victims but the governors in the North seem not to be worried.

“Makinde didn’t sleep over the issue, he was up and doing to ensure that they were rescued. Unfortunately, Borno, Kaduna and others in the North are just there. Governor Zulum is just there playing games.

“I think that the problem is not just the Federal Government. The Northern Governors have a major role to play in the matter but they are not committed to their people.

“There is unequal treatment, some governors don’t give a damn about their people, they only care about their political supporters. 

“Insurgency in Nigeria has become a political issue. Some governors are taking advantage of the security threat for their political benefits”.

Over 1,700 victims rescued in six months

The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, recently disclosed that between January and June this year, troops have so far secured 1,764 abducted persons.

A monthly breakdown released by the military shows that 284 victims were rescued in January, 450 in February, 79 in March, 188 in April, 221 in May and 542 in June.

The figures underscore the increasing tempo of military operations against terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups.

Banditry: ACF, Middle-Belt Forum worried as over 500 northern victims languish in forests