Suspected Boko Haram or Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters have attacked a secondary school in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, killing at least two teachers, abducting dozens of students and leaving others injured, according to local residents.
The attack occurred on Monday during Lassa’s weekly market, when heavily armed men reportedly stormed the Government Day Secondary School.
Witnesses said the attackers arrived on more than 60 motorcycles and were initially mistaken for security personnel conducting routine patrols, a practice residents say is common in the area. The confusion reportedly delayed any response, allowing the gunmen to enter the school.
Residents told Maidawa Arewa that more than 30 students were taken from the school, although some managed to escape as the attackers attempted to flee with the captives on motorcycles. However, the exact number of abducted students could not be independently verified at the time of publication.
Two teachers were shot during the attack. Residents said one died at the scene, while the second later died in hospital from injuries sustained in the assault.
Witnesses also alleged that at least one female student was killed during the attack. However, this could not be independently verified, and no official casualty figure has been released.
Local sources further claimed that many security personnel, including members of the Joint Task Force (JTF), had travelled to nearby Dille community for a training exercise before the attack.
The latest attack has renewed concerns over the safety of schoolchildren in southern Borno.
Barely a month ago, residents of Mussa, another community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, staged a protest demanding the rescue of more than 40 children who were abducted from the area. According to community leaders, the victims drawn from nursery, primary and secondary schools were taken during an earlier attack, and many remain unaccounted for. Families have repeatedly appealed to the government and security agencies to intensify efforts to secure their release.
The back-to-back incidents have heightened fears among residents, who say repeated attacks on schools and children are disrupting education and deepening insecurity across the area.
As of the time of publication, neither the Borno State Government, the Nigerian military nor the police had issued an official statement on the Lassa attack or confirmed the number of casualties and abducted students.
