Gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have attacked Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, abducting an unspecified number of students who were sitting for the National Examinations Council examination.
The attack reportedly occurred at about 9 a.m. on Monday when the armed men invaded the school premises, shooting sporadically and throwing students, teachers, food vendors and residents into panic.
According to local accounts, the attackers stormed the community on motorcycles, with some of them allegedly dressed in military and forest guard uniforms before moving into the school and whisking away some of the candidates into the bush.
A teacher was reportedly killed during the attack, while another person sustained injuries. However, the Borno State Police Command said it could not immediately confirm the full casualty figure, as security operatives were still assessing the situation and conducting a headcount.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Borno State Command, ASP Nahum Daso, said an unspecified number of students remained unaccounted for after the attack.
Daso said the suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters invaded the school at about 9 a.m. and opened fire, forcing many students and staff to flee in different directions while some were abducted.
He added that security operatives had been deployed to the area and that a search-and-rescue operation was already underway.
According to him, the police, military, Civilian Joint Task Force, hunters and vigilante groups are combing surrounding forests and bushes in a coordinated effort to rescue the abducted students and apprehend the attackers.
Some local sources also claimed that women selling food items within the school premises were among those taken away by the gunmen, although the exact number of abducted persons had not been confirmed as of the time of filing this report.
The incident has heightened concern over renewed attacks on schools in Borno South, particularly in Askira/Uba, an area that has witnessed repeated attacks by insurgents.
It also comes weeks after suspected Boko Haram fighters reportedly attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in the same local government area, where several pupils and students were said to have been abducted.
The latest attack has again raised questions about the safety of schools in vulnerable communities in the North-East, especially as students across the country continue to sit for national examinations.
Security agencies are expected to release further details after the ongoing headcount and rescue operation.