Professor Abubakar Mohammed El-Jummah, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology at the Nigerian Army University, Biu, has died in Boko Haram captivity, nearly a year after his abduction.

El-Jummah was kidnapped on March 3, 2025, along the Damaturu–Buni Yadi–Biu road, a corridor long troubled by insurgent attacks in the North-East. He reportedly remained in captivity until he fell ill and died.

News of his death was conveyed to his family in Maiduguri on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. A funeral prayer in absentia (Salatul Ga’ib) was held the following day at the Ngomari Old Airport Juma’at Mosque, near his residence.

A family member, who requested anonymity, confirmed that the professor had been held by the insurgents since early March 2025. “May Allah forgive him and grant him mercy,” the relative said.

The prayer session drew colleagues from academia, community members and sympathisers, reflecting the late professor’s standing within the university and the wider community.

El-Jummah’s death underscores the persistent security challenges in parts of Borno and neighbouring states, where abductions and attacks have continued despite ongoing counter-insurgency efforts.