Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters attacked Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Borno State, abducting an unspecified number of students during their SSCE examination as security forces launched rescue operations.
Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have abducted an unspecified number of students writing the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) at Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. The attackers stormed the school on Monday morning, firing sporadically before fleeing with several students.
According to the Borno State Police Command, the attack occurred at about 9:00 a.m. when the assailants invaded the school premises, causing panic among students, teachers and residents.
Police spokesperson ASP Nahum Daso confirmed that an unspecified number of students were abducted during the attack, while security personnel, including the military, police and members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), immediately launched a coordinated search-and-rescue operation.
In a subsequent update, Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, disclosed that security operatives had rescued seven of the abducted victims. He added that efforts were ongoing to rescue the remaining abductees, while the exact number of those taken was yet to be established.
The attack is the latest security incident targeting schools in Borno State, where communities continue to face threats from insurgent groups operating around the Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas. Authorities are still assessing the full impact of Monday’s attack as rescue efforts continue.
Police said security operatives confronted the attackers during the incident, preventing what they described as a larger-scale abduction.
Commissioner Usman Tar also confirmed that a government delegation had been sent to Lassa to assess the situation and reassure residents, while security agencies continued combing nearby forests in search of the remaining victims.
Security operations remained ongoing as of Monday afternoon, with authorities working to establish the total number of abducted students and secure the release of those still in captivity after seven victims were rescued.
