Nigerian security forces are searching for 36 students and three teachers who remain missing after armed attackers stormed a secondary school in Borno State during national examinations, triggering another major security crisis in the country’s northeast.
The attack unfolded Monday morning at Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira Uba Local Government Area, where students were writing the National Examinations Council examinations.
Officials said 25 girls, 11 boys and three teachers were taken from the school after gunmen opened fire, sending students, teachers and residents fleeing in panic.
The Associated Press, citing Borno State authorities, said at least one teacher was killed during the assault. Dauda Iliya, spokesman for Governor Babagana Zulum, confirmed the number of abducted students and teachers, adding that the governor immediately dispatched a delegation of senior government officials to the affected community. The status of the abducted teachers has not been confirmed.
The latest school attack has renewed concerns about the safety of educational institutions in northeastern Nigeria, where armed groups have repeatedly targeted schools and students despite years of military operations against insurgents.
The victims, aged between 15 and 18, were sitting for their secondary school examinations when the attackers struck.
No organization has officially accepted responsibility for the assault. However, security officials suspect the attackers were members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, two armed groups that have carried out numerous attacks across the Lake Chad region.
What We Know So Far
Authorities have confirmed that:
- Thirty six students remain missing.
- Three teachers were also abducted.
- At least one teacher was killed, according to The Associated Press, while other local media outlets have reported two teacher fatalities.
- One teacher sustained injuries, Vanguard Nigeria said.
- The attack occurred around 9 a.m. while examination candidates were inside their classrooms.
- The victims are between 15 and 18 years old.
Vanguard Nigeria quoted Borno State Police Command spokesperson ASP Nahum Daso as saying several students remain unaccounted for.
Daso said armed men entered the school, fired several gunshots into the air and abducted an unspecified number of students before escaping into surrounding bushland. He added that police could not immediately verify reports regarding fatalities.
Security personnel from the Nigerian military, police, Civilian Joint Task Force and local authorities have launched coordinated search operations across nearby forests in an effort to locate the victims and capture those responsible.
Parents Await News
Families of missing students continue to search for information about their children.
Punch Nigeria said the Borno State Government opened a registration center for parents to report missing family members following the attack.
Parent Mbula Bura told Punch that 37 names had been entered into the register, including his 19 year old daughter, Esther Mbula, who remains missing.
Another parent, Emmanuel Dari, said his 16 year old daughter, Lucy Emmanuel, disappeared during the attack while taking her examination.
Residents also reported additional missing students. Bitrus Milnda told Punch Online that two of his relatives, Martha Wajau and Abori Ujulu, both Senior Secondary School One students, were among those abducted.
Military Rescue Operation Continues
The Nigerian Army announced that troops conducting rescue operations recovered 10 abducted victims, including students and teachers.
Capt. Muhammed Goni, Acting Military Information Officer for Operation Hadin Kai, said soldiers, supported by military aircraft, intercepted the attackers near the Daggu area after receiving intelligence about the abduction.
The rescued victims were unharmed and have been placed under official care.
The military also confirmed that one soldier and one member of the Civilian Joint Task Force lost their lives during the operation. Troops recovered seven motorcycles believed to have been used by the fleeing attackers.
Search efforts remain underway for those still missing.
What Authorities Are Saying
Governor Babagana Zulum has directed senior government officials to coordinate with security agencies and community leaders to support rescue efforts.
Borno State Commissioner for Education Lawan Abba Wakilbe described the attack as unfortunate and said every available resource is being deployed to secure the safe return of the abducted students and school staff.
Police and military officials have assured residents that rescue operations will continue until every missing victim is accounted for.
Why This Matters
The latest abduction demonstrates that schools remain vulnerable despite sustained military campaigns against armed groups operating in northeastern Nigeria.
For more than a decade, attacks on schools have disrupted education across Borno State and neighboring regions, forcing thousands of students from classrooms and leaving many communities fearful of sending children to school.
The incident also raises fresh concerns about the security of public examinations, which often bring together large numbers of students at centralized locations that may become attractive targets for armed groups.
Earlier this month, the Nigerian military rescued more than 300 people abducted from Ngoshe, about 114 kilometers from Lassa. In May, Nigerian authorities also announced that a joint operation with the United States eliminated 175 fighters linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province.
While those operations reflect continued military pressure on insurgent networks, the latest school attack illustrates that armed groups retain the ability to carry out coordinated assaults against civilian targets.
What Happens Next
Security agencies continue air and ground operations across forests surrounding Askira Uba as authorities work to locate the remaining abductees.
Officials are expected to provide updated casualty figures and rescue information as operations progress, while investigators seek to determine the full circumstances surrounding the attack.
The outcome of the rescue mission is likely to shape renewed discussions about strengthening security around schools and examination centers across Nigeria’s conflict affected northeast.
Sources: The Associated Press; Vanguard Nigeria; Punch Nigeria
