By Our Correspondent
Fresh details have emerged on the abduction of students during the attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, with official records showing that 25 of the 36 missing students are female.
The attack, allegedly carried out by suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents, occurred around 8:30 a.m. on Monday when gunmen invaded the school and reportedly abducted students and some teachers.
A verified register compiled by school authorities and parents of the missing students indicated that 36 students remain unaccounted for following the raid.
The breakdown of the list shows that 25 of the abducted students are female while 11 are male.
The class distribution also revealed that one of the victims is a Senior Secondary School III student, 17 are in SS2, while 18 are SS1 students.
The incident has heightened fears among residents of Lassa, a community located about 20 kilometres from Mussa, where 42 pupils of a primary and junior secondary school were kidnapped by insurgents on May 15.
Teacher killed during attack
Sources in the community said the armed men shot dead a teacher who allegedly refused to accompany them into the bush, while another teacher sustained gunshot injuries and is currently receiving medical treatment.
Residents said the attackers arrived in large numbers and overpowered the school and surrounding community before fleeing with the victims.
Hon. Jagila Jabula, councillor representing Lassa Ward, confirmed the authenticity of the register of missing students, saying the list was jointly prepared by the school management and parents of the victims.
“The list was compiled by the school authorities with the support of parents whose children have not returned home since the attack,” he said.
Security agencies have yet to provide an official update on rescue efforts or the number of students recovered.
Renewed Fears Over School Safety
The latest attack has renewed concerns over the safety of schools in parts of Borno State and the wider North-East, where insurgent groups have repeatedly targeted educational institutions.
The abduction of schoolchildren became a major security concern after the 2014 kidnapping of more than 270 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State, an incident that drew global attention and sparked the “Bring Back Our Girls” campaign.
Although security operations have weakened insurgent groups in several parts of the North-East, attacks on rural communities and schools have continued, particularly in remote areas bordering the Sambisa forest and the Mandara Mountains.
Residents of Askira/Uba have repeatedly called for stronger security presence around schools and communities, warning that recurring attacks are disrupting education and forcing families to withdraw their children from school.
As of Tuesday, families of the missing students continued to await information on the whereabouts of their children while local authorities and security agencies intensified efforts to trace the abductees.
