Suspected bandits have abducted an unspecified number of students sitting for the Senior School Certificate Examination in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, in a deadly attack that has left one teacher dead and several students unaccounted for.
The attackers reportedly stormed Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, on Monday morning while candidates were writing the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination, firing sporadically and causing panic across the community.
During the assault, one teacher was killed while another sustained gunshot injuries as the assailants abducted students and members of staff.
Residents alleged that military personnel stationed in the area had earlier departed on a patrol mission to nearby Uba, about 16 kilometres away, leaving the community vulnerable to the attack.
“The soldiers were not around when the terrorists invaded. They came in large numbers, firing sporadically and causing panic everywhere. They took away students writing NECO and their teachers,” a resident told journalists.
The incident has sparked fresh concerns over the safety of schools and examination centres in parts of northeastern Nigeria, where insecurity continues to threaten education and community life.
The spokesperson of the Borno State Police Command, CSP Nahum Daso, confirmed the attack and disclosed that several students remain missing following the raid.
Security agencies have reportedly launched efforts to locate the abducted victims, while residents continue to express fears over the safety of students and teachers in rural communities affected by persistent insecurity.
The latest attack adds to growing concerns about the vulnerability of schools in conflict-prone areas, particularly during national examinations when students gather in large numbers.
