Boko Haram issues 72-hour ultimatum to execute 416 captives in Borno

The Boko Haram faction Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Nigerian government, threatening the mass execution of 416 captives, including women and children, unless specific undisclosed demands are met.

WATCH: Boko Haram Issues 72-Hour Ultimatum, Threatens To Execute 416 Captives In Borno, Mostly Women And Children pic.twitter.com/O8QwNYOFld

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) April 20, 2026

In a harrowing escalation of the security crisis in Northeast Nigeria, the Boko Haram faction known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad has released a video threatening to execute 416 hostages. The group’s spokesperson, appearing masked and speaking in Hausa, declared that the countdown for the 72-hour ultimatum began on April 19, 2026. The captives, described as being held in Borno State, consist primarily of women and young children. The insurgents directed their message specifically at the Nigerian government and a group identified as the Borno South Youth Alliance (BOSYA), warning that this communication would be their final notice before bloodshed begins.

The spokesperson emphasized that both the government and the terrorist organization had already exchanged specific demands, insisting that the authorities must adhere strictly to the terms without any alterations. Identifying their leader as Imam Abu Mu’min al-Muhajir, the group stressed that their instructions were “clear and direct” and rooted in their devotion to their cause. The video serves as a grim ultimatum, suggesting that a lack of compliance within the three-day window will result in the immediate and total liquidation of all persons currently shown in their custody.

The threat of mass execution has sparked fresh panic across the region, as the insurgents made no secret of their intended methods. Reaffirming their lethal intent, the spokesperson stated: “We are giving you seventy-two (72) hours. If you do not fulfill what we have told you, you have already made your demands known, and we too have made our own demands clear to you, based on sacrifice and fear of God. Do not add or change anything beyond what we have told you. These are clear and direct instructions.” He concluded with a chilling warning: “If these demands are not met within seventy-two hours, we will begin to execute the women and small children, every one of them. All those you see in this video, you will not see them alive again. They will be shot.”

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