Nigerian Army University Professor Dies In Boko Haram Captivity, One Year After Abduction

 Professor Abubakar Mohammed El-Jummah, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at the Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB), has passed away while held captive by Boko Haram militants. The news emerged on February 11, 2026, nearly a full year after his abduction on March 3, 2025.

Professor El-Jummah was traveling from Biu to Maiduguri when gunmen suspected to be affiliated with Boko Haram ambushed him along the notorious Damaturu–Buni Yadi–Biu road, a stretch long plagued by insecurity and attacks. Some reports mention variations in the exact date, such as March 2, or even link it to the Maiduguri-Damboa highway in targeted operations by ISWAP (an offshoot of Boko Haram), but the core details remain consistent: he was taken hostage in early March 2025 and held for approximately 11 months.

According to family sources and local accounts, the professor fell ill during his captivity, likely due to the harsh conditions, lack of proper medical care, and the immense physical and psychological strain of prolonged detention. He reportedly succumbed to his illness in the early hours of February 11, 2026, around 2:45 a.m. His abductors are said to have informed the family of his death, with some indications that his burial was carried out within their enclave according to Islamic rites. No body has been returned to the family, underscoring the tragic and unresolved nature of his ordeal.

The loss has sent shockwaves through the Nigerian Army University Biu, where Professor El-Jummah was a respected figure known for his dedication to education and engineering. As dean, he played a key role in shaping the faculty and mentoring students in a region where higher education has often been disrupted by insurgency. Colleagues remember him as a committed academic who continued his work despite the challenging security environment in northeastern Nigeria.

His family, devastated by the news, held a funeral prayer in absentia (Salatul Ga’ib) on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at around 2:00 p.m. at the Ngomari Old Airport Juma’at Mosque in Maiduguri, near his residence. The gathering drew community members, university staff, and sympathizers who came to offer condolences and pray for his soul. “Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un,” many expressed, invoking the traditional Islamic phrase of returning to God in times of loss. Family members described the period of waiting as agonizing, with hopes for his safe release fading over the months.

This incident highlights the persistent threat posed by Boko Haram and affiliated groups in Borno State and surrounding areas. The Damaturu-Biu road and similar routes remain highly dangerous, with kidnappings, ambushes, and killings continuing to claim lives and disrupt normal activity. Professor El-Jummah’s abduction and death add to a long list of victims—civilians, security personnel, and professionals—caught in the crossfire of the insurgency that has ravaged the northeast for over a decade.

The Nigerian Army University Biu, established to foster education and development in a military context, has itself been operating amid these security challenges. The institution has yet to issue an official statement on the professor’s passing, but the academic community is expected to hold tributes in the coming days.

Professor El-Jummah’s story is a stark reminder of the human cost of insecurity in Nigeria. His contributions to engineering education and his service to the university will be remembered fondly, even as his family and colleagues grapple with the pain of his violent and untimely end. May Allah grant him mercy, forgive his shortcomings, and provide comfort to those he left behind.