Fear has spread across communities in Borno State following the abduction of 13 female farmers in Askira-Uba Local Government Area. The Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Askira, confirmed the incident on Sunday, describing it as another painful reminder of the security challenges facing rural residents in the state.
The women, all from Huyim District, were reportedly seized on Saturday while travelling to Mussa District to harvest their farm produce. Farming remains the main livelihood for many residents in the area, but persistent insecurity has pushed them away from their own farmlands, forcing them to use safer lands in neighbouring communities like Mussa.
According to Askira, one of the abducted women managed to escape and returned home early on Sunday morning. Her escape brought the first clear account of what happened, but the remaining 12 victims—believed to be teenage girls and young women between 15 and 20 years old—are still missing.
The abduction has cast a shadow over Huyim District, where residents already face challenges accessing food and basic resources due to insecurity. With their farmlands in unsafe zones, villagers have been relying on farmlands in Mussa District, a journey that exposes them to potential attacks.
Villagers say the women had left early in the morning hoping to complete their harvest before noon, but they never reached the farmlands. When they did not return home at the expected time, families raised an alarm. Hours later, news filtered in that the group had been ambushed.
The escapee, whose identity has been withheld for safety reasons, told community leaders that the attackers appeared to have studied their movement and struck at a point along the bush path connecting the two districts. She said the attackers forced the women into the forest and kept them under guard overnight before she managed to flee.
Deputy Speaker Askira described the situation as disturbing and called on security agencies to launch an urgent search-and-rescue operation. He said the safety of the young women is now the top concern for families and the entire community.
“We cannot remain silent when our daughters and sisters are taken away,” Askira said. “We urge security agencies to intensify efforts to locate and rescue them.”
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South in the National Assembly, also condemned the abductions. Ndume has been vocal in the past about the need for stronger security presence in rural Borno communities, many of which remain vulnerable despite years of military operations.
Borno State, the epicentre of the Boko Haram insurgency, has endured more than a decade of violence. While major towns like Maiduguri have seen some stability, rural areas continue to experience attacks, kidnappings, and ambushes.
Farmers have been among the most frequent targets because insurgents often operate around farmlands, forest routes, and remote villages. In many communities, residents say they cannot safely reach their farms without fear of attack.
The kidnapping of women—especially young women and girls—remains a serious concern. Many families still remember the Chibok girls’ abduction in 2014, which drew global attention to the dangers faced by schoolgirls and women in the region. Although the Askira-Uba incident involves farmers rather than students, residents say the fear is similar.
The abduction comes just as communities in Borno prepare for the peak of the harvest season. This period is crucial for families who depend on farming to survive the long dry season.
With the 13 women missing and fear gripping neighbouring villages, many farmers may abandon their fields until the situation becomes clearer. Residents worry this could worsen food shortages, which are already affecting parts of the state due to a mix of insecurity and poor rainfall.
Local farmers say they cannot afford to lose this season’s harvest, but they also cannot risk their lives.
Families of the missing women are praying for a positive outcome. The escape of one victim has given them a small measure of hope, but anxiety grows with each passing hour.
“We want our girls back,” said a community elder. “We are asking the government to help us. These are children who went to the farm because they want to support their families.”
As Borno continues to struggle with insecurity, the abduction of the 13 female farmers is another reminder of the urgent need for stronger protection for rural communities that remain exposed despite years of military presence.
