27 Still Missing After Lassa School Attack

27 Still Missing After Lassa School Attack

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

At least 27 students and children remain unaccounted for following the deadly attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, where suspected Boko Haram terrorists stormed the school during the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.

The latest development comes after security forces rescued 10 abducted victims, including students and a teacher, during a military operation. However, anxious families say dozens of others are still missing, deepening fears over the fate of those taken into the Sambisa Forest axis.

The attack, which occurred on Monday morning, disrupted the NECO examination as gunmen invaded the school, killing two teachers and abducting an unspecified number of students and staff before fleeing.

Parents who spoke on Tuesday said the Borno State Government had opened a register for families to report missing relatives in a bid to determine the actual number of victims.

One of the affected parents, Mr Mbula Bura, whose 19-year-old daughter, Esther, is among those missing, said at least 37 names had initially been recorded in the government register.

“Parents who could not find their children were invited to register them. I discovered that 37 names have been registered so far as missing. My daughter, Esther Mbula, who is in SSS2, is still missing,” he said.

With 10 victims already rescued, families estimate that at least 27 people remain in captivity.

Another parent, Emmanuel Dari, said his 16-year-old daughter, Lucy, was among those abducted from the classroom during the attack.

“My daughter was writing her examination when the terrorists took them away. Since yesterday, we have not slept. When we heard about the rescue operation, we were hopeful, but when we got there, my daughter was not among those rescued,” he lamented.

He confirmed that the Borno State Commissioner for Education, Lawan Wakilbe, led a government delegation to Lassa to assess the situation and meet with affected families.

“They came to see us and assess the situation. We are praying that the remaining children will be rescued alive,” he added.

A resident of the community, Bitrus Milnda, also disclosed that two of his relatives—Martha Wajau and Abori Ujulu, both SSS1 students—were among those abducted.

Despite growing public concern, the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, had not responded to calls for official comments as of the time of filing this report.

Earlier, the Nigerian military announced the successful rescue of 10 abducted students and teachers following a coordinated operation by troops of Operation Hadin Kai, supported by the Air Component.

According to the Acting Military Information Officer of the North-East Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, troops launched an immediate search-and-rescue mission after receiving reports of the attack.

The operation, supported by Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft as well as strike platforms, tracked the abductors to the Daggu area, where troops engaged them in a firefight.

The military said all 10 rescued victims were found unharmed and are receiving medical attention and other necessary support.

However, the rescue incurred a cost. During the operation, the military killed a soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force.

Military authorities said efforts are continuing to locate and rescue the remaining abductees while pursuing those responsible for the attack.

The incident has once again highlighted the persistent security challenges facing communities in Borno State, particularly schools in areas vulnerable to attacks by insurgent groups. It also revives concerns over the safety of students sitting for public examinations in conflict-affected regions, despite ongoing military operations aimed at restoring security across the North-East.