ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Security operatives have launched a massive search operation in the forests around Lassa community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State after suspected ISWAP terrorists attacked a secondary school, abducting an unspecified number of students writing the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination.
The Borno State Police Command said security personnel responded swiftly to the attack, confronting the terrorists and preventing what could have been a much larger abduction.
The assailants reportedly stormed Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, at about 9 a.m. on Monday, firing sporadically before whisking away students sitting for the examination, as well as women selling food within the school premises.
Confirming the incident to Punch, the spokesperson for the Borno State Police Command, Nahum Daso, said the Commissioner of Police had immediately deployed the Area Commander in Askira/Uba to coordinate rescue efforts.
“Around 9 a.m. in the morning, ISWAP attacked Lassa Day Secondary School. They shot sporadically. An unspecified number of students have been abducted.
“Security forces confronted them. For now, we have an unspecified number of students who were abducted. The CP deployed the Area Commander in Askira/Uba. They are currently combing the bush,” Daso said.
The Special Adviser on Media and Strategy to Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, Mr Solomon Kwamagar, who is an indigene of Lassa, also confirmed the attack.
READ ALSO Tiwa Savage Reacts To Oyo School Kidnap Crisis
According to him, the terrorists rode into the community on motorcycles through the popular Lassa market before heading to the school.
“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.
Kwamagar added that he was still making efforts to verify the exact number of students and teachers abducted.
“Lassa in Borno State is predominantly inhabited by my people, the Margi. We are in both Adamawa and Borno states. I am from Lassa, but I chose to reside in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
READ ALSO: Repentant Terrorists Swear Quran Oath – Borno Govt
“I’m still making contacts to ascertain the total number of students and teachers who were kidnapped from the school,” he added.
Earlier, President of the Borno South Youth Alliance, Samaila Kaigama, said the attackers disguised themselves in military and forest guard uniforms to gain access to the area.
“Yes. There was an attack on students writing NECO exams. The terrorists came around past nine. They passed the military checkpoint. They wore military and forest guard attire. They shot sporadically,” he said.
Kaigama further disclosed that one teacher was killed while another sustained gunshot wounds during the attack.
“They killed one teacher from Chibok. They shot another, but not dead yet. They also kidnapped some students and women selling on the school premises. The numbers are not yet out,” he added.
When contacted, the Chairman of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Mada Saidu, declined to comment, saying only, “I am very busy now. We are in a situation.”
Efforts to obtain comments from the Borno State Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, were unsuccessful as he neither answered telephone calls nor responded to text messages.
However, some residents gave a different account of the casualties, claiming that two teachers and one female student were killed during the attack.
“They killed two teachers and one female student. The student was shot in her mouth,” one resident, who requested anonymity, alleged.
The latest attack comes barely six weeks after another mass abduction in the same local government area.
On May 16, suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area, abducting 42 pupils and students.