(Troops of Operation. Photo by Port Harcourt Socials)
At least two security operatives, including a soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force, were k!lled on Monday as troops of Operation Hadin Kai rescued 10 abducted National Examinations Council candidates and teachers following an att@ck on Lassa Government Day Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The victims, comprising students sitting for NECO examinations and their teachers, were abducted when suspected ISWAP t3rrorists stormed the school around 9 a.m., shooting sporadically and disrupting the examination session.
Confirming the incident, the Acting Military Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt Muhammad Goni, said troops responded immediately after receiving reports of the att@ck, launching a coordinated air and ground search-and-rescue operation.
According to him, the Theatre Command deployed strike aircraft and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance platforms to support ground troops who mobilised to the area, noting that the troops, with support from air platforms providing guidance, made contact with the fleeing t3rrorists around Daggu, leading to a fierce exchange of fire.
He explained that 10 victims were successfully rescued unhurt and were currently receiving medical attention, while efforts were ongoing to locate the remaining abductees.
During the encounter, troops reportedly outmanoeuvred the t3rrorists, inflicting casualties and recovering seven motorcycles used by the att@ckers in their attempted escape.
However, the military confirmed that one soldier and one CJTF member paid the ultimate price during the operation, describing the loss as a supreme sacrifice made during the intense firefight.
Goni said security had been reinforced in the area and operations intensified to track down the att@ckers and prevent further incidents, noting that the att@ck underscored the continued targeting of vulnerable communities and schools by t3rrorist groups.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible intelligence to security agencies while disregarding unverified reports.
Meanwhile, the Vice Principal of the affected school, identified as Paul Namaske, recounted how the att@ck unfolded and how the t3rrorists abducted students and teachers into the forest.
In a video obtained online, Namaske said the att@ckers overpowered the school and moved victims into the bush before military air support intervened, explaining that when a military aircraft started hovering over the area, the insurgents began to disperse, after which gunshots from soldiers were heard and the t3rrorists started running while the victims escaped.
He added that more than 20 students and two teachers were initially taken into the forest, though the exact number of abducted persons remains unclear, noting that two teachers and about twenty-something students were taken, though he could not confirm the exact figure.
The att@ck was carried out during an ongoing NECO examination session, throwing the school and surrounding community into panic.
Confirming developments, the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, had earlier said assessments were ongoing to determine the exact number of abducted persons, noting that seven had been rescued so far, though their gender could not yet be confirmed as assessment was still ongoing.
He added that a government delegation had been sent to the community to assess the situation and reassure residents.
Also, the Borno State Police Command confirmed that security operatives had been deployed to the area, noting that the prompt response prevented a larger-scale abduction.
The spokesperson of the command, ASP Nahum Daso, said security forces deployed to the community prevented the t3rrorists from carrying out a larger-scale abduction, explaining that around 9 a.m., ISWAP att@cked Lassa Day Secondary School, shooting sporadically, with a suspected number of students abducted before security forces confronted them.
He added that the Commissioner of Police had deployed the Area Commander in Askira Uba, who was currently combing the bush.
Also confirming the incident, the President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, said the t3rrorists carried out the operation using military and forest guard uniforms, explaining that the att@ckers arrived shortly after nine, passed the military checkpoint disguised in military and forest guard attire, and shot sporadically.
According to him, one teacher was k!lled while another sustained gunshot injuries, noting that the t3rrorists k!lled one teacher from Chibok, shot another who was not yet confirmed d3ad, and also kidn@pped some students and women selling within the school premises, with the full numbers yet to be determined.
When contacted, the Chairman of Askira Uba Local Government, Mada Saidu, declined comment, saying he was very busy given the ongoing situation.
The att@ck is the latest in a series of assaults on schools in the North-East, a region repeatedly targeted by insurgent groups despite ongoing military operations.
It was earlier reported that 42 students and pupils were abducted on May 16 after suspected Boko Haram t3rrorists att@cked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, said the abducted students comprised four students from the GDSS (two male and two female), 28 pupils abducted from the primary section, while 10 children were abducted from their various residential houses, making a total of 42 persons.