Desperate Families in Borno Crowdfund Millions Across Africa to Free Abducted Loved Ones
In Nigeria’s Borno, communities are caught in a cycle of fear and extortion as terrorist groups repeatedly abduct their members for ransom. Families, already struggling to survive displacement and insecurity, are forced to crowdfund millions of naira to secure the release of their loved ones.
When HumAngle approached Muhammadu Bakka, 51, assistant secretary of the displaced herders community in Maiduguri, Nigeria, he was struggling with many things. He was observing the Muslim Ramadan fast, enduring the scorching sun, and grappling with the challenges of insecurity facing his herding community, all while wondering where to find money to contribute to a crowdfunding effort to pay a ransom.
March has been characterised by extremely hot conditions. Everywhere in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, it is burning from the unwavering scorching sun. In the midday, the community was quiet; one could barely count people around, and only a few cars hovered around.
“To be honest, we are suffering. We have turned into daily prey. They pick us, and then they return to pick us again, like a pool of food,” Bakka told HumAngle as he recounted the cases of abduction the herding community faced in the past 20 days.
In just one month, four children were abducted from his community. To secure their release, they crowdfunded N2.5 million as ransom. A week after the four children were released, two adults were taken, with kidnappers demanding an additional three million naira.
Later, on March 15, six more children were abducted. One boy was released and sent back with a phone number, a reminder of the ransom required for the remaining five, including girls and boys.
“This is overwhelming. The government is supposed to take action. If it cannot protect us, we can take action. We know where our roof is leaking, and we can take action. If the government cannot defend us, let it give us the order to protect ourselves because what we are facing is outrageous,” Bakka said
The abductions have become alarmingly frequent. The first known case last month happened in Malam Fatori, headquarters of Abadam local government area of Borno state, where four children were taken. The second occurred in the remote village called Jere, outskirts of Gajiram town in Nganzai local government area of Borno state, where two elders were kidnapped. Then, the most recent incident in Malam Fatori saw six children taken.
With each abduction, families and relatives struggle to raise money to pay ransoms. The herding community’s crowdfunding efforts reach as far as Sudan, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, where fellow herders contribute in solidarity. Bakka from Nigeria, for example, donated N30,000 to raise the N2.5 million for the release of the four children.
“In the past year, I have given more than N100,000 for different cases,” Bakka told HumAngle. But now, they are exhausted. The money has run out, and they can no longer afford to buy their own safety.
Bakka added, “We cannot go on like this. If every day we raise this kind of money, one day we will not even have anything to eat.”
Despite the escalating crisis, there has been little response from authorities. The kidnappers, suspected of being Boko Haram members, operate with impunity, knowing that their victims have nowhere to turn. Residents are increasingly calling for government intervention. But with no concrete action taken so far, their frustration is boiling over.
As the community waits for news on the six children still in captivity, they continue pleading for protection. For many, the choice has become clear—either the government steps in, or they will be forced to defend themselves.
“The frequency of these abductions and the money we keep paying is too much. If our wealth is gone, how will we survive?” Bakka asked.
He further explained to HumAngle that his people were not seeking violence but simply the right to defend their lives and livelihoods.
HumAngle has produced a video documentary about the living conditions of the herding community affected by the prolonged armed conflict in northeastern Nigeria.
HumAngle contacted the Borno State Police Command with the details of these incidents but received no response.
In Maiduguri, Nigeria, a herding community is facing a crisis of escalating kidnappings amid an armed conflict. Over recent weeks, multiple abductions have taken place, totaling in the kidnapping of four children and then six more, with successive demands for ransom totaling millions of naira.
The community has resorted to crowdfunding, even reaching out internationally, to secure the release of abductees, but resources are dwindling.
Frustration is growing as there has been minimal intervention from the authorities, and residents are calling for government action or seeking permission to defend themselves against the suspected Boko Haram kidnappers. The situation remains dire, with families on edge, awaiting the release of children still in captivity and grappling with the unsustainable demands for ransom.
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