Outrage In Maiduguri As Children Of Gov. Zulum Supporter Found Dead After Criticizing Politicians

By Zagazola Makama

Borno awoke on Thursday to one of the darkest mornings in recent memory. The lifeless bodies of three innocent children two belonging to Zannah Jaridama Bornoye, a staunch supporter of Governor Babagana Zulum, and that of his neighbour were discovered just days after Jaridama openly criticized powerful cabals and politicians in the state.

Jaridama, known for his boldness on social media, had recently accused some top figures of hypocrisy and sabotage. In a viral video, he lamented that certain individuals around the governor pretended to be loyal while enriching themselves with contracts, positions, and resources without showing true commitment to either the governor or the people.

He described them as opportunists who burdened the governor with endless personal demands school fees, weddings, houses, and naming ceremonies while offering no real value to governance. “They wear big clothes to follow him everywhere, but when it is time to defend him, they disappear. They are hypocrites,” he said, daring anyone who felt guilty to take him to court.

Less than 24 hours after his outburst, tragedy struck. His two children Mama, a 14-year-old girl in pink, and Anwar, a 28-month-old boy in green shadda suddenly went missing while playing outside their home. Their disappearance sparked panic across Maiduguri, with Jaridama raising a desperate missing-children alert on Facebook.

His posts quickly turned into emotional pleas. “It is me they are after, not my children. Please, for God’s sake, spare their lives. I am ready to give myself up, even to death, so that these innocent children can continue to live,” he wrote.

Days later, those prayers went unanswered. The children were discovered dead in the boot of one of his old cars parked inside his compound, alongside the body of a neighbour’s child.

Confirming the incident, Borno State Commissioner of Police, Nazir Abdulmajid, said the bodies were taken to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for autopsy to determine whether they were kidnapped and killed or had accidentally locked themselves inside the vehicle. “For now, we can not really say what transpired. We have not established that it was linked to any political killing. But the autopsy will give the proofs,” he stated.

Despite the uncertainty, the tragedy has sparked outrage across Maiduguri. Many residents believe the deaths were not an accident but a chilling political message.

Aliyu Haidar Zaifada wrote on Facebook: “These innocent children’s only ‘crime’ was being born to an outspoken father who speaks truth to power. This is not kidnapping there were no calls, no ransom, no conditions. It is purely politics.”

Hajiya Falmata, a resident of Gwange, wept bitterly. “This is not just cruelty; this is evil. What did these little children do?”

A trader at Monday Market, Malam Usman, said: “They wanted to silence the father, and they chose to kill children. This is beyond wickedness.”

Fatima, a university student, voiced her fear: “Today it is Zannah’s children. Tomorrow, it may be someone else’s. If children can be murdered to settle political scores, then no family is safe.”

As grief grips Maiduguri, prayers rise for the young souls, while calls for justice grow louder. For now, the questions remain unanswered: Did these children die by suffocation, or were they victims of cold-blooded assassins? Coincidence or conspiracy, their deaths have left a scar on the conscience of Borno.