Police Launch Massive Forest Search After Terrorists Abduct NECO Candidates in Borno School Attack
Nigerian security forces have launched a large-scale search operation after suspected ISWAP terrorists abducted an unspecified number of students writing NECO examinations in Borno State. The attack left casualties and renewed fears over school safety in Nigeria.
Security agencies have launched an intensive search-and-rescue operation across the forests surrounding Lassa in Borno State after suspected terrorists stormed a secondary school and abducted an unspecified number of students sitting for the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.
The brazen attack, which occurred on Monday morning at Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area, has once again highlighted the persistent security challenges facing communities in Nigeria's North-East, particularly those located near insurgent strongholds.
According to authorities, heavily armed attackers believed to be affiliated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) invaded the school at approximately 9:00 a.m., firing sporadically into the air and creating panic among students, teachers, and residents. Amid the confusion, the assailants reportedly forced several students into the surrounding bush before fleeing the area.
The Borno State Police Command confirmed the incident, stating that security personnel responded quickly but that an unspecified number of students remain missing.
Police spokesperson ASP Nahum Daso disclosed that the Commissioner of Police immediately deployed the Area Commander in Askira/Uba alongside other security operatives to coordinate rescue efforts.
"Our personnel are currently combing the surrounding forests in an effort to locate the abducted students and apprehend the terrorists," Daso said, adding that security forces confronted the attackers during the raid, preventing what could have been an even larger-scale abduction. (Punch Newspapers)
Casualties and Conflicting Reports
While authorities have yet to release an official casualty figure, multiple local sources reported that at least one teacher was killed during the attack, while another sustained gunshot injuries.
Some residents claimed the death toll could be higher, alleging that two teachers and a female student lost their lives during the assault. However, security officials said investigations were still ongoing and cautioned against drawing conclusions until all victims had been accounted for.
Witnesses described scenes of terror as students abandoned examination halls in search of safety while gunfire echoed throughout the community.
Women who were selling food within the school premises were also reportedly abducted during the raid, further increasing the number of people feared missing.
Attackers Allegedly Disguised as Security Personnel
Community leaders said the terrorists arrived on motorcycles and were dressed in military camouflage and forest guard uniforms, allowing them to move through parts of the community before launching the assault.
The President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, alleged that the attackers passed through military checkpoints before reaching the school.
According to him, the insurgents fired indiscriminately before targeting classrooms where students were writing their examinations.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the attackers successfully exploited their disguises to evade security screening, but the allegation is expected to form part of ongoing investigations.
Community in Shock
Residents of Lassa described the incident as one of the most traumatic attacks to hit the area in recent months.
Monday also coincided with the community's market day, meaning the town had a higher-than-normal population when the terrorists struck.
Many families spent hours searching for loved ones, while local leaders attempted to compile the names of missing students and teachers.
Officials said the exact number of abductees remains unknown because emergency responders are still conducting headcounts and verifying attendance records at the school.
Local government authorities have so far declined to provide detailed comments, citing the ongoing rescue operation.
Renewed Concerns Over School Security
The latest attack has reignited concerns over the vulnerability of educational institutions in Nigeria's conflict-affected North-East.
Despite years of military operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP, insurgent groups continue to stage deadly raids on rural communities, frequently targeting schools to abduct students for propaganda, leverage, or ransom.
Security analysts say schools located close to forested areas remain particularly exposed due to difficult terrain and limited security presence.
The incident also comes only weeks after another reported abduction involving students in the same Askira/Uba Local Government Area, raising questions about the effectiveness of existing security measures designed to protect schools.
Parents and education advocates have renewed calls for stronger intelligence gathering, improved surveillance, and increased deployment of security personnel to vulnerable communities to prevent further attacks.
Rescue Operation Continues
As night falls over Lassa, combined teams of police, military personnel, Civilian Joint Task Force members, and local vigilantes continue combing nearby forests in search of the abducted students.
Authorities have appealed for calm while urging residents to provide any information that could assist ongoing rescue efforts.
For many families, however, the priority remains the safe return of their children as anxiety grips, yet another community caught in the long-running insurgency that has plagued Nigeria's North-East for more than a decade.
Security officials have pledged not to relent until every missing student is accounted for and those responsible are brought to justice.