Army Rescues Seven, But 36 NECO Candidates Still Missing After Boko Haram School Attack
By Passman Akpos
The identities of 36 students abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists during Monday’s attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State have emerged, with school authorities confirming that the victims remain in captivity.
According to documents obtained by SaharaReporters, the missing students include 25 female and 11 male candidates who were sitting for the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination when the terrorists invaded the school.
The disclosure provides the clearest picture yet of the scale of the abduction, which has renewed concerns over the safety of schools across Nigeria’s insurgency-hit North-East.
School records indicate that 43 people were initially abducted during the attack, comprising 41 students and two teachers. However, security forces have so far rescued only seven victims—five female students and the two teachers—leaving 36 students still in the custody of the terrorists.
One of the rescued teachers told SaharaReporters that troops under Operation HADIN KAI swiftly launched a rescue mission with support from Nigerian Air Force surveillance and strike aircraft. The troops reportedly engaged the fleeing insurgents in a gun battle deep in the bush and recovered several motorcycles used during the attack.
A staff member of Government Day Secondary School, who spoke anonymously for security reasons, revealed that the rescue effort came at a heavy price.
According to the source, one teacher, one Nigerian soldier, and a local hunter were killed while attempting to stop the terrorists from escaping with the students
“They paid the supreme sacrifice while trying to stop the terrorists from taking away the students,” the source said.
The attack occurred while students were writing their NECO examinations. Witnesses said the gunmen infiltrated Lassa community on motorcycles, disguising themselves as soldiers and members of the newly established Forest Guards on the town’s market day before launching the assault.
The attackers reportedly opened fire, killed a teacher, and forced dozens of students into nearby forests before security personnel responded.
The Borno State Government has confirmed that the abducted students are between the ages of 15 and 18. Authorities said coordinated operations involving the military, police, Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), and local vigilantes are ongoing to secure the release of those still in captivity.
The latest mass abduction has once again raised alarm over the continued targeting of schools by Boko Haram and its splinter faction, ISWAP, despite repeated assurances by the Nigerian government that educational institutions in the North-East are adequately protected.
The attack also came barely 24 hours after another kidnapping incident in the same Askira/Uba area, where several women working on their farms were reportedly abducted, underscoring growing insecurity in southern Borno.
