Boko Haram terrorists stormed a secondary school in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno State on Monday, abducting students as they sat for national exams, in the latest mass kidnapping to strike the insecure region.
The terrorists arrived at Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira/Uba Local Government Area, dressed in fake military and forest guard uniforms to appear as legitimate security personnel. They opened fire, killing one teacher and injuring several people before kidnapping an unknown number of students.
Borno State Police Command spokesperson Nahum Daso confirmed the attack, saying security personnel were dispatched to rescue the victims and apprehend the attackers.
The Nigerian military responded swiftly. Troops and aircraft were deployed under Operation Hadin Kai, making contact with the terrorists near Daggu. Following a firefight, the operation rescued 10 students, who were found unharmed and are currently receiving care. One soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed during the clash while defending the rescued civilians. The military did not confirm whether any terrorists were killed.
The attack occurred amid persistent insecurity in Nigeria’s northeast despite years of military operations against Boko Haram and its splinter faction, ISWAP. It comes weeks after terrorists abducted more than 40 pupils and teachers from three schools in Oyo State, and recalls the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls abduction. Efforts to rescue the remaining students are ongoing.
