Families of 52 residents abducted across Borno State are selling their homes and liquidating assets in anticipation of ransom demands, months after their loved ones were seized in coordinated attacks.
The victims were abducted by unidentified gunmen on April 15. Since then, relatives say they have been battling financial ruin, extortion scams, and prolonged silence from authorities.
Hassan Yati, speaking on behalf of the families, described the severe emotional and financial toll on affected communities.
In one case, a family seeking the release of two kidnapped sons lost ₦1.5 million to fraudsters who posed as abductors and collected part of a ₦3 million demand, only for the family to later discover the real captors had not contacted them.
To prepare for possible demands, several relatives have put their only properties up for sale. A mother in Biu Local Government Area listed her home to raise funds for her abducted daughter. Yati said he also put his family house on the market to raise money for his missing younger brother and sister-in-law, while facing pressure from relatives demanding updates.
Monday Bako, a food vendor whose daughter was abducted in January, said she sold her house to have cash ready if the captors made contact. Months later, she is still waiting without any word.
With nursing mothers and infants among those in captivity, the families are appealing directly to government to intervene, break the silence, and launch urgent rescue operations to secure the release of their relatives.
