Suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have reportedly abducted several students of Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, during the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The attack occurred on Monday morning while students were writing their examination.
According to reports, one teacher was killed during the assault, while another sustained injuries. Authorities have also confirmed that several students remain unaccounted for.
The spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, confirmed the incident, stating that armed terrorists stormed the school at about 9 a.m., firing sporadically before abducting an unspecified number of students.
He noted that security agencies are still working to determine the exact number of victims and could not immediately verify reports of fatalities.
Daso disclosed that a joint rescue operation involving the Nigerian military, the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), police personnel and the Area Commander in Askira/Uba had been launched to locate the missing students and apprehend those responsible for the attack.
Security operatives are currently combing nearby forests in search of the abducted victims.
The latest incident comes weeks after another school attack in Mussa community, also in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, where terrorists reportedly abducted about 40 students from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School.
The community, located on the southern edge of the Sambisa Forest, has repeatedly come under attacks by insurgents.
The Deputy Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Askira, had earlier confirmed that armed men riding motorcycles invaded the school shortly after military personnel assigned to the area departed on routine patrol.
He explained that many students escaped into nearby bushes, while others were taken away by the attackers.
According to him, the timing of the attack suggested the insurgents may have monitored the movement of security personnel before launching the assault.
The latest abduction has renewed concerns over the safety of schools in Nigeria’s North-East as authorities intensify efforts to rescue the missing students and strengthen security around vulnerable communities.
