School abduction in borno state amid rising insecurity

An early-morning raid on a public high school in Lassa, Borno State, has left multiple students missing after fighters from the extremist group Boko Haram stormed the campus during a biology examination.

The attackers struck as local traders gathered for the weekly market, using the crowd to mask their approach. They arrived on motorcycles, breached the school grounds, and forcibly took a significant number of pupils before security could respond.

The Borno State Police spokesperson, Nahum Kenneth Daso, confirmed the assault and noted the assailants exploited the market’s presence to slip into the area unnoticed.

Casualties and aftermath

Local authorities report that one teacher lost their life resisting the intrusion, while several students were seized and removed from the scene. In the immediate response, Nigerian security forces launched a pursuit operation under the banner of Operation Hadin Kai.

During the counter-offensive near Daggu, a soldier was killed in a firefight with the militants. Despite the setback, troops managed to secure the release of ten students. Medical checks show the rescued pupils are in stable condition and receiving both physical and psychological care. Search efforts remain underway to locate the remaining abducted children and bring the attackers to justice.

Regional impact of Boko Haram’s insurgency

Since its emergence in the early 2000s, Boko Haram has waged a brutal insurgency that has claimed tens of thousands of lives in Nigeria alone since 2009. The group’s violent campaign has spilled across borders, extending into Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, where clashes around Lake Chad have claimed over 2,000 lives. The resulting instability has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, forcing families to flee their homes in search of safety.