CITIZENS COMPASS—Suspected bandits on Monday, reportedly killed a teacher and abducted some students at Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
The number of the abducted students could not be established during the attack which occurred in the border community between Borno and Adamawa states.
The incident occurred barely six weeks after the abduction of some teachers and pupils of some Ogbomosho schools in Oyo State.
The assailants reportedly stormed the community on motorcycles before heading to the secondary school, where they opened fire and forcefully took away students from their classrooms.
The Special Adviser to Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri on Media and Strategy, Solomon Kwamagar, confirmed the incident on Monday.
Kwamagar, who is from the Lassa community, said the gunmen took advantage of the community’s market day to carry out the attack.
“Today is Lassa market day. I was informed that they came through the market on motorcycles and went to Government Day Secondary School, Lassa. They shot and killed one teacher and took away all the students who were in their classrooms,” he said.
He added that the attackers completed the operation and escaped before security operatives could intervene.
Kwamagar explained that although Lassa is located in Borno State, the community is predominantly inhabited by members of the Margi ethnic group, whose settlements also extend into neighbouring Adamawa State.
He said efforts were ongoing to determine the exact number of students and teachers abducted during the attack.
“I’m still making contacts to ascertain the total number of students and teachers who were kidnapped from the school,” he stated.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had yet to release an official figure for the number of abducted victims.
The latest attack has renewed fears over the security of schools across the country, particularly in northern Nigeria, where educational institutions have repeatedly been targeted by armed groups.
The incident also comes just weeks after suspected bandits attacked schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and abducted dozens of pupils and teachers, sparking nationwide outrage and fresh calls for improved security around schools.
Security agencies had not issued an official statement on the Lassa attack as of the time this report was filed.
Meanwhile, joint security operatives, including the Army, Police and local Civilian Joint Task Force, have rescued seven out of the abducted students.
